India, Uttar Pradesh, circa 5^th century. Superbly carved, the idealized body both slender and muscular, richly adorned with beaded jewelry and sacred thread which runs over the left side of his body, the round face sensitively modeled with a serene expression marked by crisply delineated features such as deeply incised almond-shaped eyes, elegantly arched brows, a sharp nose, and full lips forming a gentle smile, flanked by pendulous lobes suspending heavy circular earrings, the hair arranged in an elaborate high chignon, decorated with floral and spiral designs, with strands of coiled locks falling along the shoulders.

Provenance: Collection of Dr. Rainer Kreissl. An important south German private collection, acquired from the above before circa 1990. Dr. Rainer Josef Kreissl (1924-2005) was a German-Czech art collector and the recipient of the Czech Republic’s Medal of Merit. Born in Bohemia, Dr. Kreissl’s family was permitted to remain in Czechoslovakia after World War II because of his father’s efforts in smuggling jews out of the Third Reich. Dr. Kreissl studied business in Žatec and became an antiquities dealer in the late 1950s. Due to his association with various foreign diplomats, Dr. Kreissl emigrated to west Germany after becoming a person of interest to the KGB. Dr. Kreissl continued to work as an antiquities dealer, assembling an impressive collection which he donated to the various museums in the Czech Republic. In 1995, Dr. Kreissl received an honorary Doctorates from Charles University and was later awarded honorary citizenship of the city of Prague. His broad collection can be seen in the Thimble Museum, the National Gallery, and in Prague Castle.
Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Old wear, obvious losses, chips, nicks, scratches. The bust has been professionally cleaned at some point in its more recent history, probably during the 20^th century.

Weight: 19.1 kg (excl. stand) and 23.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 45 cm (excl. stand) and 53.5 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated wood stand. (2)

The Gupta period has often been referred to as a Golden Age due to the great refinement in art and architecture that was achieved and proved to be a massive influence on a large number of contemporaneous and succeeding kingdoms both near and far. Particular credit is due to the perfect balance the Guptas struck between the ideals of beauty, sensuality, and spirituality. Mathura and Sarnath were major centers of production during this period. Gupta art shows a continuity from the sculptures of Mathura and Gandhara but incorporates these styles with new iconographic features drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bust of Vishnu, also dated to the Gupta period, 5^th century, 109 cm high, in the National Museum, New Delhi.