11th Mar, 2026 11:00
Three Collectors: Arts of Asia & Africa assembled by G. Merzeder, S. Behrendt & P. Icher
45
AN IMPORTANT AND LARGE (131 CM) SANDSTONE FIGURE OF PARASHURAMA, PRE-ANGKOR PERIOD, PHNOM DA STYLE, 7TH CENTURY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve
€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.
Exhibited: Museum der Völker (formerly Haus der Völker, Museum für Kunst und Ethnographie), Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria, Das Gedächtnis der Steine. Seltene Steinreliefs und Figuren aus Asien, 7 November 2015 – 1 May 2016.
The superbly modeled muscular ascetic standing on a square plinth resting on his staff, wearing a short sampot carved with parallel pleats with a central drape falling to the center, his face with a benign expression, almond-shaped eyes with heavy lids under gently arched brows, wide pursed lips, and an aquiline nose, flanked by long pendulous lobes, the thick curled hair pulled high above into a looped chignon secured by a band.
Provenance: A private collection in Switzerland, acquired in Bangkok before 1980. Collection of Gerhard Merzeder (b. 1963), internationally published and acclaimed fashion and portrait photographer, Vienna, Austria, assembled since the 1980s.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, obvious losses, small chips, old repairs, scattered nicks and scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations.
Weight: 131 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: 131 cm (excl. stand), 164 cm (incl. stand)
Parashurama is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindu tradition holds him to be the of evil on Earth. He liberates the Mother Earth from felons, ill-behaved men, extremists, demons and those blind with pride. He is described as one of the Chiranjivi (Immortals), who will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga to be the guru of Vishnu's tenth and last incarnation, Kalki.
Nearly all discovered stone sculptures in the Phnom Da style appear to be associated with Vishnu and his incarnations, as exemplified by this piece. The Phnom Da style is notably cohesive and consistent, exhibiting less variation compared to other stylistic periods. This uniformity suggests a focused artistic vision, reflecting a deep reverence for Vishnu and his realm, as well as a clear dedication to maintaining a specific aesthetic throughout the period.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related figure of Parashurama, Pre-Angkor period, in the Museum of Phnom Phen, and illustrated by Madeleine Giteau, L'expression de la sensibilité dans l'art khmer, Arts Asiatiques, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1955), p. 211, fig. 1. Compare a related pre-Angkor period figure, Sambor Prei Kuk style, dated to the 7th century, 142 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.2576.
Exhibited: Museum der Völker (formerly Haus der Völker, Museum für Kunst und Ethnographie), Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria, Das Gedächtnis der Steine. Seltene Steinreliefs und Figuren aus Asien, 7 November 2015 – 1 May 2016.
The superbly modeled muscular ascetic standing on a square plinth resting on his staff, wearing a short sampot carved with parallel pleats with a central drape falling to the center, his face with a benign expression, almond-shaped eyes with heavy lids under gently arched brows, wide pursed lips, and an aquiline nose, flanked by long pendulous lobes, the thick curled hair pulled high above into a looped chignon secured by a band.
Provenance: A private collection in Switzerland, acquired in Bangkok before 1980. Collection of Gerhard Merzeder (b. 1963), internationally published and acclaimed fashion and portrait photographer, Vienna, Austria, assembled since the 1980s.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, obvious losses, small chips, old repairs, scattered nicks and scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations.
Weight: 131 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: 131 cm (excl. stand), 164 cm (incl. stand)
Parashurama is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. Hindu tradition holds him to be the of evil on Earth. He liberates the Mother Earth from felons, ill-behaved men, extremists, demons and those blind with pride. He is described as one of the Chiranjivi (Immortals), who will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga to be the guru of Vishnu's tenth and last incarnation, Kalki.
Nearly all discovered stone sculptures in the Phnom Da style appear to be associated with Vishnu and his incarnations, as exemplified by this piece. The Phnom Da style is notably cohesive and consistent, exhibiting less variation compared to other stylistic periods. This uniformity suggests a focused artistic vision, reflecting a deep reverence for Vishnu and his realm, as well as a clear dedication to maintaining a specific aesthetic throughout the period.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related figure of Parashurama, Pre-Angkor period, in the Museum of Phnom Phen, and illustrated by Madeleine Giteau, L'expression de la sensibilité dans l'art khmer, Arts Asiatiques, Vol. 2, No. 3 (1955), p. 211, fig. 1. Compare a related pre-Angkor period figure, Sambor Prei Kuk style, dated to the 7th century, 142 cm high, in the National Museum of Cambodia, inventory number Ka.2576.
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Auction: Three Collectors: Arts of Asia & Africa assembled by G. Merzeder, S. Behrendt & P. Icher, 11th Mar, 2026
This auction presents selections from three outstanding collections assembled by three unique collectors — each highly distinguished in their own way, while unified in their love of art and travel as well as their heartfelt curiosity, awe, and respect for the remote and diverse cultures they encountered. This foreword serves as a place to briefly tell each of their stories, which are deeply imbued into the objects they acquired. Learn more.
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