India, Uttar Pradesh, 1st century BC to 1st century AD. The yakshi superbly carved in high relief, her sinuous body in tribhanga holding a mango in her raised left hand, the naked body adorned in beaded jewelry, the round face with almond-shaped eyes, full lips, and hair tied, flanked by pendulous earrings. The reverse with stylized lotus roundels. The sides with oval notches and the top with a protrusion for mounting.

Provenance: From the private collection of Jean-Marc Andral, acquired in the Miami art market between 1992 and 1994. A copy of a provenance statement, written and signed by Jean-Marc Andral, dated 21 October 2023, confirming the above, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, small chips, scratches, losses, signs of weathering and erosion. One larger crack restored. Displaying remarkably well.

Weight: 55.8 kg (excl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 82 cm (excl. stand) and 94.3 cm (incl. stand)

Mounted on an associated stand. (2)

This fragment would once have been an upright post of a vedika, the protective fence around a stupa. The ancient Indian tradition of building stupas predates the emergence of Buddhism and Jainism in the 5th century BC but later became closely identified with both religions. The Buddha’s familiarity with the landmark inspired his instruction for his cremated remains to be divided and buried beneath a number of stupas in the regions where he had preached. By incorporating the images of goddesses to the surrounding railings, the stupa form maintained its association with popular religious traditions, as theologians realized they could never eliminate the day-to-day customs of those they wished to convert.

Shalabhanjika is a term found in Indian art and literature with a variety of meanings. In Buddhist art, it means an image of a woman or yakshi next to a tree, often holding a sprig of mango leaves. The position of the Salabhanjika is also related to the position of Maya when she gave birth to Gautama Buddha under an ashoka tree in a garden in Lumbini, while grasping its branch.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related red sandstone Shalabhanjika from Mathura, dated to the 2nd century, in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IM.72-1927. Compare a related sandstone fragment depicting a Shalabhanjika, from a stupa gate at Sanchi, dated to the 1st century, in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 1842,1210.1. Compare a Bharhut railing, dated c. 100 BC, in the Indian Museum, Kolkata, with a Shalabhanjika on the endpost. Compare a related sandstone relief with a Yakshi, India, Uttar Pradesh, dated 2nd century, 59.5 cm high, in the British Museum, museum number 1975,1027.1.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 31 March 2005, lot 45
Price: USD 60,000 or approx. EUR 88,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Mottled Red Sandstone Yakshi, India, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura, circa 2nd century
Expert remark: Compare the related pose, face, and color of the stone. Note the much smaller size (45.5 cm).