Expert’s note: This extremely rare bronze figure of Vishvakarman originated during a time when the divine architect was first introduced to the Khmer Empire. The figure is dense and its modeling typical of the Bayon style. Bronze was not as readily available as sandstone or limestone, making bronze figures an expensive commodity at the time. Vishvakarman is the celestial lord of architects and craftsmen, making it likely this bronze was commissioned for a wealthy temple complex.

Khmer Empire, 12^th-13^th century. Finely cast half-kneeling on a square base with his right knee raised, his right hand raised and his left resting on his knee. He is wearing a short striated sampot tucked around the belt and elegantly tied with a butterfly tang to the back. His serene face with almond-shaped eyes and full lips flanked by elongated earlobes. The hair arranged in a high chignon secured by a tall flared headband tied at the back of his head.

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, USA, 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 U.S. 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: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Ancient wear, signs of weathering and erosion, casting flaws, small nicks, and soil encrustations, possibly from a prolonged period of burial. The original casting core is partly preserved to the base. The bronze has a distinctive, naturally grown patina with vibrant malachite encrustations.

Weight: 12.7 kg (!)
Dimensions: Height 40.5 cm

Vishvakarman was first mentioned in ancient India in the Epics and Puranas and is still worshiped by Indian and Cambodian craftsmen today. Khmer architects would beseech Vishvakarman for guidance when planning the construction of a temple. The god was not introduced to Khmer until the 12^th century, a time which coincided with Jayavarman VII’s initiation of his vast building programs; the god’s name is mentioned on a stele from the king in 1191. Despite being a Hindu deity, he was passionately adopted by Khmer Buddhists who created a vast number of sculptures of bronze and stone to commemorate the divine architect.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related bronze figure of Vishvakarman, 24 cm high, dated 12^th -13^th century illustrated by Emma C. Bunker and Douglas Latchford, Adoration and Glory: The Golden Age of Khmer Art, p. 275-277, no. 95a, b. Compare a related bronze figure of a kneeling male figure similar in size, 43.2 cm high, dated to the 11^th century, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 1978.8. Compare a related bronze figure of a female lantern carrier, 30 cm high, dated to the 12^th century, in the National Museum, Phnom-Penh, illustrated in Madeleine Giteau, Khmer: Kunst und Kultur von Angkor, 1973 p. 155, pl. 16.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2009, lot 1218
Price: USD 86,500 or approx. EUR 117,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of a kneeling Ganesha, Khmer, Angkor period, 13^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and manner of casting with similar pose and square base. Note the different subject and the smaller size (22.3 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Koller, Zurich, 18 September 2010, lot 343
Price: CHF 38,400 or approx. EUR 42,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fine and rare bronze figure of the Celestial Architect Vishvakarman, Khmer, Bayon style, 12^th/13^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject as well as the related modeling and manner of casting. Note the smaller size (21.5 cm).