A BRONZE FIGURE OF UMA, ANGKOR PERIOD, 14TH-15TH CENTURY
Lot 1488 - AK0126

Khmer Empire. Well-cast, standing upon a simple square plinth and extending her hands while holding two of her characteristic attributes. The figure clad in a pleated sampot, suspended from a charm-embellished belt, the body richly adorned with fine jewelry, including a prominent necklace and characteristic bracelets and armbands. Her face, serene in expression, marked by almond-shaped eyes, a broad nose, and full lips, framed by large ears bearing pendeloque earrings. The hair neatly arranged in a conical chignon, secured by a flared tiara.

Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, United States, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with extensive wear. Distinct traces of weathering and corrosion. Scattered minor nicks. The bronze surface with a rich, naturally grown patina with large areas of malachite and azurite encrustations.

Weight: 849.9 g (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 23.4 cm (excl. stand), 27.3 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated wood stand. (2)

Uma was a revered goddess in the Khmer Empire, and the neatly rendered details of the face, garments, and jewelry are characteristic of the Angkor period. While representations of the goddess in sandstone are relatively common, bronze devotional images such as this are considerably rarer, particularly at the scale of the present lot.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related Khmer bronze figure of Uma, Khmer Empire, Baphuon style, dated 11th-12th century, in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number IS.62-1993.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 July 2020, lot 36
Price: USD 8,125 or approx. EUR 8,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare bronze figure of Uma, Khmer, Angkor period, Angkor Wat style, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the related stance of the figure, with similar facial features and ornaments. Note the slightly smaller size (18.5 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Zacke Vienna, 11 March 2022, lot 571
Price: EUR 8,216 or approx. EUR 9,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Uma, Khmer Empire, Angkor period, 12th-13th century
Expert remark: Compare the related stance of the figure, with similar facial features and ornaments. Note the nearly identical size (25 cm excl. stand).