Northeastern India, 6^th to mid-8^th century e.g. late Gupta Empire to Later Gupta Dynasty. Seated in royal ease on a pedestal, holding a wine cup in his right hand and a treasure sack in his left. The face with a benevolent expression, almond shaped eyes below arched eyebrows, a wide nose, and pouted lips, adorned in elaborate jewelry including large circular earrings, a collar and beaded pendant. His hair is gathered into a ribbed coiffure. Behind his head is a rayed nimbus.

Expert’s note: The close connection of ancient Bacchanalian imagery from the Hellenistic period with the present image of Kubera is evidenced by him holding a wine cup, while his rounded belly is indicative of prosperity and abundance.

In the process of his conquests, Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, introduced Hellenistic culture, including a taste for wine, to a vast swath of territories, including – although indirectly – northeastern India. His armies were accompanied by philosophers, geographers, and historians, who compared their own observations to those of past travelers, and to legends, including that of Bacchus. Alexander himself “wanted the tales of the god’s wanderings to be true” and, en route through the mountains of the Punjab in northwestern India, became convinced that he was indeed following in the footsteps of Bacchus.

The presence of wild vines and ivy seemed confirmation, so Alexander made a formal sacrifice and “many of the prominent officers around him garlanded themselves with ivy and . . . were promptly possessed by the god and raised the call of Dionysus, running in his frantic rout.”

The Macedonians claimed to find the worship of Bacchus to be widespread in India, although it is likely that they confused the Hindu god Shiva with the son of Zeus. Shiva is often portrayed adorned with a tiger skin, in the style of Bacchus and his dappled cloak, and his followers, like bacchantes, were fond of dancing and drumming. Moreover, the Indian doctrine of reincarnation had a parallel with the birth and rebirth of the god of wine.

In general, however, the Macedonians found the inhabitants of India temperate by their own standards. While Alexander’s Empire fell apart shortly after his death, the Bacchanalian culture lasted, subject to local color and iconography, for centuries thereafter.

Provenance: From a distinguished Italian private collection, acquired between the late 1960s and early 1970s. Leonardo Vigorelli, Bergamo, acquired from the above. Leonardo Vigorelli is a retired Italian art dealer and noted collector, specializing in African and ancient Hindu-Buddhist art. After studying anthropology and decades of travel as well as extensive field research in India, the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia, and Africa, he founded the Dalton Somaré art gallery in Milan, Italy, which today is being run by his two sons.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, some losses, few nicks and surface scratches, structural cracks. Possibly some minor old fills.

Dimensions: Height 84.5 cm

Kubera is known primarily as the god of wealth and abundance, but he is also one of the Four Great Kings (maharaja) as well as one of the Eight Guardians (lokapala), and in the latter role is associated with the northerly direction. He is also identified with Vaishravana, Panchika and Jambhala and has a further role as leader of the yakshas, nature spirits derived from pre-Aryan traditions who were believed to have power over wealth, fertility, and illness.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related earlier and simpler sandstone figure of a bacchanalian Kubera, dated to the Gupta period, 4^th century, in the Norton Simon Museum, accession number M.1975.11.04.S. Also compare with a closely related pink sandstone statue of a bacchanalian Kubera from the Gupta Period, wearing elaborate jewelry, originally found in the Jamalpur mound in Bangladesh, today in the Government Museum, Mathura, India, accession number 00-C-5.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 1075
Price: USD 81,250 or approx. EUR 100,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A red sandstone figure of Kubera India, Madhya Pradesh, 8th/9th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related bacchanalian iconography and pose, the round body, the jewelry, and the material. Note the size (90.8 cm).