A SANDSTONE CARVING OF A LION SUBDUING A WARRIOR, CHANDELA DYNASTY

Central India, Madhya Pradesh, 11th century. Powerfully sculpted in a standing pose, with its hind legs slightly bent, the lion shown wearing a large harness fastened at its waist, from which it appears to drag a heavy stone resting on the ground behind it. The elongated body of the animal extending into a striking head marked by bulging eyes, small ears emerging from a majestic mane neatly carved with undulating grooves, and open jaws revealing sharp fangs, as well as a long tongue. Beneath its forepaws, a small warrior, equipped with a round shield and raising a triangular weapon with one arm, standing in a pose suggesting alliance with the guarding creature.

Provenance: A private collection in Belgium. Gallery Ilunga, Ghent, ca. 2000. The collection of Mr. and Mrs. Sergeant, Ghent, Belgium, acquired from the above and thence by descent. A copy of a certificate of authenticity from Gallery Ilunga, signed by Luc Cannoot, and confirming the dating and provenance above, accompanies this lot. Ilunga was a noted gallery of African and Asian art and antiquities founded in 1980 in Ghent, Belgium, operated by its long-time director Luc Cannoot. Ilunga is the name that the Luba people give to those they consider to be unifying or bringing people together.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, minor obvious losses, and typical natural imperfections. Traces of weathering and signs of erosion, with some small losses, and remnants of pigments.

Weight: 33.7 kg (excl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 46 cm (excl. stand) and 55 cm (incl. stand), Length 79 cm

Mounted on an associated metal stand. (2)

Majestic freestanding lions, often shown subduing an elephant or warrior, appear prominently around major temples in northern India as powerful guardians. Their modern placement at stairways sometimes obscures their original role, yet surviving examples on large Khajuraho shrines and other temples confirm their intended position: elevated on the flat ledge above the sukanasa, the frontal projection of the soaring sikhara. An 11th-century foundation inscription captures their symbolic force: ‘How can I possibly with words tell of its [the temple's] height? The lion who has ascended its top, means to devour, it seems, the deer in the moon’.

The current lot evidently draws inspiration from the monumental lions at the entrance of the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh, the grandest and most elaborately decorated Hindu temple of the region. Like its temple counterparts, this sculpture exudes a powerful supernatural presence: the bulging eyes, exaggerated features, and commanding stance elevate it beyond naturalism into the realm of the divine protector. At the same time, its hybrid quality intensifies this effect—the curling tail at the rear evokes the sinuous movement of a serpent, blurring the line between lion and mythic creature. In both temple and sculpture, the lion transcends zoology to embody a charged, otherworldly force, a guardian meant to awe, sanctify, and shield against malevolent powers.

Once the capital of the Chandela dynasty, Khajuraho flourished as a cultural and architectural center in the 10th–11th centuries. The Kandariya Mahadeva, dedicated to Shiva and built during the reign of King Vidyadhara, stands as the finest example of Chandela artistry. In recognition of its remarkable preservation and its testimony to medieval Indian creativity, the Khajuraho temple complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Of the 85 temples built under Chandela patronage, about 30 survive, celebrated for their intricate sculpture and mastery of the Nagara style, enriched with distinctive regional flourishes.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related sandstone carving of a lion subduing an elephant, Northern India, Madhya Pradesh, Kari Talai, near Jabalpur, dated early 11th century, 129.0 cm high, held by the Durgawati Museum, and illustrated in: Vishakha N. Desai and Darielle Mason (ed.), Gods, guardians, and lovers: temple sculptures from North India (700-1200 AD), 1993, p. 147, no. 2. For another related sandstone carving of a chasing lion from the Chandela period, dated 11th century, at the Kandariya Mahadeva temple in Khajuraho, see: Calambur Sivaramamutri, L’art en Inde, 1974, p. 400, no. 577.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 31 March 2005, lot 52
Price: USD 8,400 or approx. EUR 13,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A red sandstone figure of a lion, India, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh, circa 10^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and subject, in this case described as “protecting its cub”. Note the smaller size (22.4 cm) and stronger signs of weathering.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams London, 19 April 2016, lot 187
Price: GBP 6,250 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A red sandstone fragment depicting a mythical lion and rider, India, circa 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and related subject. Note the size (45 x 43 cm).