16th Apr, 2026 11:00
TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism
200
A HIGHLY IMPORTANT SANDSTONE FIGURE OF UMA, ANGKOR PERIOD, BAPHUON STYLE, EARLY 11TH CENTURY
€15,000
€30,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
Expert’s note: This exceptional sculpture is most remarkable for the tactile quality of its polished surface, suggestive of youthful skin. Baphuon period sculptures with a smooth, diaphanous sampot rather than one incised with pleats are extremely rare and likely date to the earlier part of the 11th century. Compare a closely related Baphuon style female torso showing a similarly fine polish, 96.5 cm high, dated to the early 11th century, formerly in the collection of John D. Rockefeller 3rd and now in the Asia Society, New York, accession number 1979.065, illustrated by Sherman E. Lee, Ancient Cambodian Sculpture, 1969, p. 58, cat. no. 20.
Khmer Empire. The voluptuously carved female deity depicted with supple breasts, slender waist, and wide hips, wearing a smoothly polished, plain sampot, secured by a belt around the hips, a fishtail-shaped flange falling to the front. The face with a benign expression with heavy-lidded eyes beneath a ridged brow and neatly incised full lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by long pendulous lobes, the intricately braided hair rising to a domed topknot with a lotus flowerhead at the top.
Provenance: Weber & Bläuer, Lugano, Switzerland, 1998. A private collection in Berlin, Germany, acquired from the above. A copy of an invoice from Weber & Bläuer, dated 21 August 1998, signed by M. van Ouwerkerk, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price of CHF 240,000 or approx. EUR 308,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Weber & Bläuer, Lugano, was a long-established Swiss art and antiques firm active from the mid-20th century, frequently cited in provenance records through invoices and certificates. M. van Ouwerkerk served as its managing director and also appears in public auction records as a private collector and estate name, cited in major sales.
Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, obvious losses, minor structural fissures, chips, nicks, scratches. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina.
Weight: 49 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 102 cm (excl. stand), 113 cm (incl. stand)
Mounted on an associated metal stand. (2)
The sculpture created during the Baphuon period, beginning in the first half of the 11th century, represents an apex never quite equaled again in Khmer art. Divine figures from this time are rendered with anatomical precision as well as a serene and dignified presence. The gods appear as handsome, well-built Khmer aristocratic male figures and the goddesses are beautiful, sensuous, graceful females. These sacred images are elegant and naturalistic in their appeal, presenting the deities in idealized human terms.
The sculpture is modest in size compared to some of the overpowering images produced during the tenth century. The faces are soft and often seductive in their expressions. The ubiquitous chignon-covers and diadems represented on images during much of the tenth century are less frequently represented during the Baphuon period. Instead, the hair is pulled up into a chignon that is held in place by a simple jeweled or flowered chain. The workmanship is superb and executed with a jeweler’s precision.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 September 2004, lot 63
Price: USD 1,127,500 or approx. EUR 1,623,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important sandstone figure of Uma, Angkor period, Baphuon style, 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and subject, with a similar plain sampot, braided hair, and facial expression. Note the smaller size (70.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 March 2008, lot 508
Price: USD 2,113,000 or approx. EUR 2,714,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A highly important and large sandstone figure of Uma, Khmer, Baphuon style, first half 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and subject, albeit with a pleated sampot. Note the larger size (118.7 cm).
Expert’s note: This exceptional sculpture is most remarkable for the tactile quality of its polished surface, suggestive of youthful skin. Baphuon period sculptures with a smooth, diaphanous sampot rather than one incised with pleats are extremely rare and likely date to the earlier part of the 11th century. Compare a closely related Baphuon style female torso showing a similarly fine polish, 96.5 cm high, dated to the early 11th century, formerly in the collection of John D. Rockefeller 3rd and now in the Asia Society, New York, accession number 1979.065, illustrated by Sherman E. Lee, Ancient Cambodian Sculpture, 1969, p. 58, cat. no. 20.
Khmer Empire. The voluptuously carved female deity depicted with supple breasts, slender waist, and wide hips, wearing a smoothly polished, plain sampot, secured by a belt around the hips, a fishtail-shaped flange falling to the front. The face with a benign expression with heavy-lidded eyes beneath a ridged brow and neatly incised full lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by long pendulous lobes, the intricately braided hair rising to a domed topknot with a lotus flowerhead at the top.
Provenance: Weber & Bläuer, Lugano, Switzerland, 1998. A private collection in Berlin, Germany, acquired from the above. A copy of an invoice from Weber & Bläuer, dated 21 August 1998, signed by M. van Ouwerkerk, confirming the dating above, and stating a purchase price of CHF 240,000 or approx. EUR 308,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Weber & Bläuer, Lugano, was a long-established Swiss art and antiques firm active from the mid-20th century, frequently cited in provenance records through invoices and certificates. M. van Ouwerkerk served as its managing director and also appears in public auction records as a private collector and estate name, cited in major sales.
Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, obvious losses, minor structural fissures, chips, nicks, scratches. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina.
Weight: 49 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 102 cm (excl. stand), 113 cm (incl. stand)
Mounted on an associated metal stand. (2)
The sculpture created during the Baphuon period, beginning in the first half of the 11th century, represents an apex never quite equaled again in Khmer art. Divine figures from this time are rendered with anatomical precision as well as a serene and dignified presence. The gods appear as handsome, well-built Khmer aristocratic male figures and the goddesses are beautiful, sensuous, graceful females. These sacred images are elegant and naturalistic in their appeal, presenting the deities in idealized human terms.
The sculpture is modest in size compared to some of the overpowering images produced during the tenth century. The faces are soft and often seductive in their expressions. The ubiquitous chignon-covers and diadems represented on images during much of the tenth century are less frequently represented during the Baphuon period. Instead, the hair is pulled up into a chignon that is held in place by a simple jeweled or flowered chain. The workmanship is superb and executed with a jeweler’s precision.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 September 2004, lot 63
Price: USD 1,127,500 or approx. EUR 1,623,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important sandstone figure of Uma, Angkor period, Baphuon style, 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and subject, with a similar plain sampot, braided hair, and facial expression. Note the smaller size (70.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 March 2008, lot 508
Price: USD 2,113,000 or approx. EUR 2,714,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A highly important and large sandstone figure of Uma, Khmer, Baphuon style, first half 11th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, and subject, albeit with a pleated sampot. Note the larger size (118.7 cm).
Please note that additional images and detailed information are available only upon request for lots with a starting price of 500 Euros or above in our Discovery Auctions.
If there are any existing additional images of this item, you can find them on this tab. You must be logged into your personal Zacke account to see the images. Click on an image to zoom or save.
Log in or sign up to view the natural light images.
Click here to request more information on this lot.
Zacke Live Online Bidding
Our online bidding platform makes it easier than ever to bid in our auctions! When you bid through our website, you can take advantage of our premium buyer's terms without incurring any additional online bidding surcharges.
To bid live online, you'll need to create an online account. Once your account is created and your identity is verified, you can register to bid in an auction up to 12 hours before the auction begins.
Intended Spend and Bid Limits
When you register to bid in an online auction, you will need to share your intended maximum spending budget for the auction. We will then review your intended spend and set a bid limit for you. Once you have pre-registered for a live online auction, you can see your intended spend and bid limit by going to 'Account Settings' and clicking on 'Live Bidding Registrations'.
Your bid limit will be the maximum amount you can bid during the auction. Your bid limit is for the hammer price and is not affected by the buyer’s premium and VAT. For example, if you have a bid limit of €1,000 and place two winning bids for €300 and €200, then you will only be able to bid €500 for the rest of the auction. If you try to place a bid that is higher than €500, you will not be able to do so.
Online Absentee and Telephone Bids
You can now leave absentee and telephone bids on our website!
Absentee Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave your absentee bid directly on the lot page. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Telephone Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave telephone bids online. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Classic Absentee and Telephone Bidding Form
You can still submit absentee and telephone bids by email or fax if you prefer. Simply fill out the Absentee Bidding/Telephone bidding form and return it to us by email at office@zacke.at or by fax at +43 (1) 532 04 52 20. You can download the PDF from our Upcoming Auctions page.
How-To Guides
How to Create Your Personal Zacke Account
How to Register to Bid on Zacke Live
How to Leave Absentee Bids Online
How to Leave Telephone Bids Online
中文版本的操作指南
创建新账号
注册Zacke Live在线直播竞拍（免平台费）
缺席投标和电话投标
Third-Party Bidding
We partner with best-in-class third-party partners to make it easy for you to bid online in the channel of your choice. Please note that if you bid with one of our third-party online partners, then there will be a live bidding surcharge on top of your final purchase price. You can find all of our fees here. Here's a full list of our third-party partners:
- 51 Bid Live
- EpaiLive
- ArtFoxLive
- Invaluable
- LiveAuctioneers
- the-saleroom
- lot-tissimo
- Drouot
Please note that we place different auctions on different platforms. For example, in general, we only place Chinese art auctions on 51 Bid Live.
Bidding in Person
You must register to bid in person and will be assigned a paddle at the auction. Please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52 for the latest local health and safety guidelines.
Auction: TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism, 16th Apr, 2026
Galerie Zacke is honored to present a major two-day live auction event, featuring 692 works of art from China, India, Southeast Asia, and beyond.
The highlight is our flagship live auction on Day 1 (lots 1-277), showcasing masterpieces of exceptional rarity and provenance. Among them are a monumental and unique gilt-copper head of Buddha, Tibet, 14th century, from the personal collection of Ulrich von Schroeder; an absolutely perfect green-glazed ‘dragon’ bowl, Kangxi mark and period, from the collection of J. J. Lally; one of the largest ever found jade disks, bi, Qijia culture, 74 cm diameter, authenticated by Dr. Gu Fang, collection of Lord Anthony Jacobs, London; a monumental and highly important Sichuan pottery horse, Han dynasty, at a staggering height of 156 cm and a diagonal of over 200 cm, the largest ever recorded from this group, from the Weisbrod collection and TL tested by Oxford Authentication; and the monumental and highly important ‘Kienzle’ stucco statue of Buddha, Gandhara, circa 3rd–5th century, the largest recorded example of its type, rescued during the Taliban advance in 1994.
Day 2 (lots 278-692) continues with our general auction, offering seasoned collectors and new bidders alike an opportunity to enhance their collections. Learn more.
Classic Bidding Form Telephone Bidding Form
Viewing
8 - 15 April 2026
Monday - Friday, 10 am - 6 pm
as well as by appointment
Our Terms and Conditions
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our auctions fair and transparent, we encourage you to read our terms and conditions thoroughly. We urge you to read through §34-50) to ensure you understand them. These terms are specifically designed to protect all serious and committed buyers from bidding against non-payers who attempt to inflate prices without the intent of paying their auction bills.
For further reading about non-payers at auction, go here: https://www.zacke.at/aboutnonpayers/.
The main points include the following:
- Bidders must complete their due diligence and clarify all questions about the objects before the auction. After the auction, Zacke will not answer questions from bidders unless the purchase price has been paid in full. Of course, this does not apply to questions concerning shipping, insurance, customs, etc.
- A sale cancellation of any kind after the fall of the hammer is not possible. The only exception to this fundamental rule is our guarantee of authenticity [the Guarantee].
- A Guarantee Claim, however, can only be raised after the purchase price has been paid in full by the buyer and within 45 days after the auction day.
If you have any questions about our policies, please get in touch with us at office@zacke.at.
By placing a bid, you agree to our Terms of Auction and Terms and Conditions.
