A MAGNIFICENT BRONZE FIGURE OF VAJRASATTVA OR AVALOKITESHVARA, KEDIRI TO SINGHASARI KINGDOM, JAVA, 12TH-13TH CENTURY

Heavily cast, the four-armed deity seated in lalitasana, supporting himself with the lower right arm, while holding in the remaining hands a fruit of longevity, mala beads, and a purity cloth. The figure wearing a diaphanous dhoti secured at the waist by an ornate belt and richly adorned with fine jewelry. His head slightly inclined to the left, with his face conveying a serene expression characterized by heavy-lidded, downcast eyes, a broad nose, and full lips forming a gentle smile, all framed by elongated, pendulous earlobes. The neatly arranged hair surmounted by a high chignon and secured with a richly bejeweled tiara, centered with an image of Buddha Amitabha.

The underside is fitted with a substantial loop mount, added to anchor the piece securely within the temple compound and prevent its unauthorized removal.

Provenance: La Balaustra Antichità, Arte Archeologia classica orientale e precolombiana, 1998, Bologna, Italy. Collection of Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022), acquired from the above. A copy of a stamped certificate written by Giuliana Zanetti of Antichità La Balaustra, adressed to Paolo Bertuzzi, dated 20 March 1998, dating the present lot to the 12th-13th century, accompanies this lot. Paolo Bertuzzi (1943-2022) was a fashion stylist from Bologna. He was the son of Enrichetta Bertuzzi, founder of Hettabretz, a noted Italian fashion company with customers such as the Rothschild family, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. Paolo Bertuzzi later took over his mother’s business and designed exclusive pieces, some of which were exhibited in the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. He was also an avid collector of antiques for more than sixty years. His collection includes both archaic and contemporary art, and he edited two important books about Asian art, Goa Made - An Archaeological Discovery, about a large-scale archaeological project carried out with the Italian and Indonesian governments, and Majapahit, Masterpieces from a Forgotten Kingdom.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with extensive wear, casting irregularities, and traces of weathering and corrosion. Minute losses to the fingers of the lower right hand and left foot. Few minor nicks and occasional small dents. The bronze surface with an attractive, naturally grown patina with extensive areas of malachite encrustations and some remnants of soil, indicating a prolonged period of burial.

Weight: 5.4 kg
Dimensions: Height 28.9 cm

Literature comparison:
Compare a related bronze fragment of standing figure of Shiva or Avalokiteshvara, Kalimantan, c. 8th century, 24.8 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1995.257.23.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 September 2007, lot 350
Price: USD 29,800 or approx. EUR 41,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, Indonesia, Central Java, 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, modeling with similar pose and jewelry, and manner of casting. Note the base and the smaller size (12.7 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke Vienna, 17 October 2024, lot 224
Price: EUR 8,450
Description: A bronze figure of Shiva, Kalimantan, 10th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, modeling with similar pose and jewelry, and manner of casting. Note the slightly larger size (33.5 cm).