September catalogue : Asian Art Society

SEPTEMBER i SS u E

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The asian art Society features an online catalogue every month listing quality works of asian art that have been thoroughly vetted by our select members, who are the in-house experts. By bringing together a group of trusted dealers specializing in Asian art, our platform offers a unique collection of works of art that collectors will not find anywhere else online. To ensure the highest standards, gallery membership is by invitation only and determined by a selection committee of influential gallerists

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Cover image: Detail of a necklace from South india presented by Sue Ollemans on p. 30

Thomas Murray and Kristal Hale

Opening of "Dressed by Nature: Textiles of Japan"

THOM a S M u RR ay ne WS FROM

"i thought you might like to see a selection of gallery images from the "Dressed by nature" exhibition at Minneapolis institute of art (Mia) that just ended. These photos will help give you an impression of the kind of Japanese textiles i collected, the costumes of 'the people of the earth, farmers and fishermen. As well as the tribal Ainu in the north and the indignious Okinawan people of the tropical islands of the far south...There was at least double the number of pieces on display as shown in the photos

The curator andreas Marks asked me to give a lecture for the show's opening weekend asking that I explain the various influences that went into why and how i formed the collection and developed my sense of "taste..."

Here is the video:

https://vimeo.com/724308938

Curator's Statement

"Dressed by Nature: Textiles of Japan" centers on the importance of local resources for human survival and comfort. With the collapse of global supply chains during the Covid-19 pandemic, it's an especially meaningful message now.

This exhibition also debuts the Thomas murray Collection at the minneapolis institute of art (mia). a well-known independent researcher and art expert with a fantastic eye for textiles from around the globe, murray built his Japanese collection over nearly 40 years. in 2019, the museum acquired the entire collection of more than 200 outstanding textiles, which catapulted mia to among the foremost collections of Japanese textiles in the world. After nine years spent in pursuit of this collection, i am very excited to share more than 120 textiles here with you now.

Textiles are an intrinsic part of life across all cultures throughout history. No other medium at once communicates social standing, cultural values, and aesthetics while also carrying out a functional purpose. Because these textiles were made to be worn and used, we refer to their creators as makers; nevertheless, their creations show pure artistry. This exhibition presents textiles made between around 1750 and 1930 that derive from three geographical areas belonging to present-day Japan: the northern islands, including Hokkaido, home to the indigenous ainu people living in a climate comparable to ours in the midwest: the Japanese mainland; and the subtropical Okinawan islands, on the same latitude of the Bahamas. Showcasing regional craft traditions (mingei), these textiles are not the standard silk kimonos usually featured in displays as the typical clothing from Japan (though, in fact, reserved only for the upper classes). instead, you will see a wide range of textiles for farmers, fishermen, and others made from local materials, including fish skin, paper, elm bark, nettle, banana leaf, hemp, wisteria, deerskin, cotton, and wool. indeed, "Dressed by Nature" not only celebrates the resourcefulness of humans in general, but also the ingenuity of these makers, all unknown by name to us, who created beautiful, functional works of art.

Dr. andreas marks

entry of the exhibition. June 25, 2022 - September 11, 2022 at mia

Patchwork (boro) farmer's short coat (hanten) 19th-century

unknown nivkh makers, Woman's fish-skin festival coats (hukht), late 19th century. Cloth: fish skin, sinew (reindeer), cotton thread; appliqué and embroidery.

The exhibition has ended but you can still explore Japan's rich tradition of textiles with the book :Textiles of Japan. The Thomas murray collection featured in this book explores the range and artistry of Japan's tradition of fiber arts including examples of daily dress, work-wear, and festival garb.

From rugged Japanese firemen's ceremonial robes and austere rural work-wear to colorful, delicately-patterned cotton kimonos, this lavishly illustrated volume explores Japan's rich tradition of textiles.

Textiles are an eloquent form of cultural expression and of great importance in the daily life of a people, as well as in their rituals and ceremonies. The traditional clothing and fabrics featured in this book were made and used in the islands of the Japanese archipelago between the late 18th and the mid 20th century. The Thomas murray collection featured in this book includes daily dress, work-wear, and festival garb and follows the Arts and Crafts philosophy of the mingei movement, which saw that modernization would leave behind traditional art forms such as the hand-made textiles used by country people, farmers, and fisherman.

Numerous examples of these fabrics, photographed in exquisite detail, offer insight into Japan's complex textile history as well as inspiration for today's designers and artists. This volume explores the range and artistry of the country's tradition of fiber arts and is an essential resource for anyone captivated by the Japanese aesthetic.

"If one could only have one book covering as much as possible on Japanese textiles this should be the book. Tom Murray has managed to build an encyclopedic collection reflecting his profound knowledge and passion. Not only is his collection thorough, but its presentation in this book is superior--- detailing the wide variety of fabrics, fibers, and weaving and dying methods used throughout Japan's long history."

John Stucky. Librarian Emeritus, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco

Textiles of Japan

Publication date: January 29, 2019

Hardcover: 520 pages

10.38 x 13.75 in

SEPTEMBER a RTWORKS

Pieces are published and changed each month. The objects are presented with a full description and corresponding dealer's contact information. Unlike auction sites or other platforms, we empower collectors to interact directly with the member dealers for enquiries and purchases by clicking on the e-mail adress.

in order to guarantee the quality of pieces available in the catalogues, objects are systematically validated by all our select members, who are the in-house experts.. Collectors are therefore encouraged to decide and buy with complete confidence. In addition to this, the asian art Society proposes a seven-day full money back return policy should the buyer not feel totally satisfied with a purchase.

items are presented by categories, please check the table of contents. Feel free to ask the price if the artwork is listed with a price on request. ◆

aRH aT

Kana K avaTS a

Tibet

18th century

Ground mineral pigments on cloth

92 cm x 61 cm

Provenance:

Koller Zurich, June 1978, lot 46.

Publication:

Himalayan art Resources (himalayanart.org), item no. 36292. Price on request

The Sixteen arhats emerge from an early Sanskrit Buddhist text called the Nandamitra describing enlightened human disciples of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni who vow to remain on earth until the future buddha, maitreya, arrives. The present aesthetic form, however, is the result of earlier Chinese models of these figures referred to as ‘luohan’ (the Chinese equivalent of the Sanskrit term ‘arhat’). Tibetans, however, refer to many of these figures as neten (Tib. Wylie: gnas brtan) which equates to the Sanskrit term for elder (sthavira). arhatship is a level of buddhist attainment for which Tibetans use the word drachompa (Tib. Wylie:. dgrabcom pa). The difference in such terms, therefore, leaves in question what status Tibetan Buddhists attribute to some of these figures Western art historians describe as “arhats.” The present figure Kanakavatsa and the other fifteen arhats are, nevertheless, very significant figures in Tibetan Buddhist art. Here, Kanakavatsa is depicted wide-eyed, holding a jeweled lasso given to him by the protectors of the Tantras known as nagas. He is barefoot, seated atop a meditation cushion, and attended by a small male figure holding a vase. Two large jewels are suspended in the water at the foreground. The present painting belongs to a painting set depicting either sixteen or eighteen figures which includes Arhat Nagasena and arhat Bakula from this catalogue as well as two others in private collections (see Himalayan art Resources items no. 21658 and 24114). The set is distinguished by the golden bodies of each elder, the elaborate and distinct golden patterns of each vibrant textile, the rainbow of colors among clouds filling the bright blue skies, the pure white moon and orange sun, and the red cartouges with small gold inscriptions of homage.

Kapoor Galleries

m: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E: info@kapoors.com

W: www.kapoors.com

vaj R a S aTT va

Tibet

13th century

Pala style

Bronze Height: 9 cm

Provenance:

Cees van der Plog,1995

Price on reques

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Kapoor Galleries

m: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E: info@kapoors.com

W: www.kapoors.com

Vajrasattva is frequently invoked in Vajrayana Buddhism for purification rituals, and is also treated as a yidam in Nyingma school. He is worshipped as the great purifier that helps practitioners clear negative karmas and obstacles that obscure their Buddha nature.

This sweet figure of Vajrasattva shows him seated in vajraparyankasana, holding a vajra before his chest and a ghanta at his waist. Stylistically, this bronze echoes the high aesthetic accomplishments of the late Pala style, seen in the crown, necklace, armlets and anklets that are inspired by foliate imagery, fan-shaped crown ribbons, while the sweet face is distinctly Tibetan. Compare with a brass figure of Manjushri sold at Bonhams, New york, 20 march 2018, lot 3210, and Buddha in a private collection in von Schroeder, indoTibetan Bronzes, Hong Kong, 1981, p.423, no.109C.

R ESSE i ME n PO W i TH PRO n O unc E d S H i W a (WR in K l ES) and yad OME (flang ES fOR THE HE l MET cOR d)

Japan

late momoyama period/Edo period

16th century iron, lacquer, silk, horse hair, deer hide

Sa008

Provenance: Private collection, Japan Price on request

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

David Thatcher

m.: + 44 (0) 7971955214

E: davidt@davidthatcher.co.uk

W: www.davidthatcher.co.uk

Ressei menpo with pronounced Shiwa (wrinkles) and Yadome (flanges for the helmet cord), with white horse hair Kuchi Hige (moustache) gilded Ue-ba (teeth). Probably myochin School.

Five lame Tare (throat guard) in Kiritsuke ko-zane. laced in white deer hide in the Kebiki style. Red interior.

H i B ac H i

a brasero made with an old wooden bucked lacquered with a design of the Musashino field under the moon light

Japan

Edo-meiji period

19th century

26 cm x 26 cm x 22 (h) cm

Awasebako (collector's wooden box)

Price: 2.200 euros

M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com

W: www.mingei.gallery

l acqu ERE d TR ay

Japan

Meiji-Taishō period

Circa 1900-1926

Kiribako

37 cm x 37 cm x 6 cm (h)

Price: 2.000 euros

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Galerie mingei

M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com

W: www.mingei.gallery

T R ay in THE ST yl E O f Oga W a Haritsu (r itsuō) (1663-1747)

Unsigned

Depicting an octopus, a lobster and a sole

Japan

Edo period

18th century

Old kiribako

39,6 cm x 39,6 cm x 2,5 cm (h)

Price: 6.800 euros

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Galerie mingei

M: +33 (0)6 09 76 60 68

E: mingei.arts.gallery@gmail.com

W: www.mingei.gallery

la R g E

c EREMO nial

n E c K lac E

South india

19th century

Silver and rubies

Exterior diameter: 34 inches

interior diameter 21inches

length of silver elements: 49 inches

Total length: 65 inches

Individual segments: 6¼ x 1½ inches (16 x 3.9 cm.)

Provenance:

Purchased in 1980`s from a Private European Collection

Price on request

M: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E: sue@ollemans.com

W: www.ollemans.com

In South Indian devotional sculpture, the Hindu deities' animal mounts are often as elaborately adorned as their riders. This impressive ornament would have encircled the neck of a large-scale sculpture of Nandi, the bull traditionally associated with Shiva. Nandi may be depicted with Shiva, Parvati, or the two together on his back, or he may appear alone as a figure worthy of devotion by virtue of his affiliation with the gods. To mark his elevated status Nandi is adorned with sculpted or separately added jewelry.

This sumptuous necklace is similar to a Malligai Arumbu Malai, or Jasmine Bud Necklace, called such because each element resembles the spiky bud of the arabian jasmine flower (jasminium sambac). Here, the necklace is comprised of twenty-one silver segments connected with a braided black rope and arranged into a sunburst circle. Each segment includes a rounded base with a conical spire finishing in a knob at the tip. The rounded portions resemble dried rudraksha seeds, literally the “tears of Shiva,” which are traditionally strung together for use in Hindu prayer. The raised design on each suggests an individual kirtimukha, or face of glory. Ruby cabochons punctuate the transition to the silver spire as an extended tongue. a ridge of rounded and pointed protrusions runs along the central portion of the face, leaving two smooth sections for the kirtimukha's bulging cheeks. Two additional rings flanking each face appear as ears and serve as the transition from one segment to the next.

Kanphat yO gi SMOK ing H uqqa

Northern india Circa 1820-1830 Company School

Pigments and gold on paper

Height: 13,5 cm

Width: 11 cm

Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of the late Pearl King (1918 - 2015)

Exhibition:

Yoga. Ascètes, yogis, soufis (musée National des arts asiatiques –Guimet, Paris, Feb. 2nd – may 2nd 2022)

Publication:

Yoga. Ascètes, yogis, soufis (2022), mNaaG / RmN, Paris, ill. 20, p. 50.

Price: 20.000 euros

This painting shows an ascetic or kanphat yogi smoking huqqah. He is wearing large earrings as well as two necklaces and a gold bracelet. it is probably a portrait of Shanbu Nanha Jogi.

Two other paintings by Ghulam ali Khan or his circle are depicting this same yogi. In the first one published by Joachim K. Bautze, Interaction of Cultures: Indian and Western Painting 1780–1910. The Ehrenfeld Collection, alexandria, Virginia: art Services international, 1998, pp. 56–57, now in the Guimet Museum collections, he is shown together with four other characters.

On the other painting from the Tashrih al-aqvam he is depicted together with a aughar yogi (The British library Board, add.27255, f.399b).

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

alexis Renard

T: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E: alexis@alexisrenard.com

W: www.alexisrenard.com

S Ta RS and O c Tag O n S jali

S c REE n S

india

mughal period

17th century

Red sandstone

124,5 cm (h) x 42 cm (w) x 7 cm (Depth)

Provenance:

Spink, London, 1980's

Price: 30.000 euros

T:

E: alexis@alexisrenard.com

W: www.alexisrenard.com

i llu STR aT i O n TO

a Rasi K ap R iya

SER i ES: K R i SH na

cO nv ERS ing W i TH a

Sa KH i

attributed to Purkhu

Kangra, india

Circa 1820

Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper

Image: 24,8 cm x 16,2 cm

Folio: 33 cm x 23,2 cm

Provenance:

Royal mandi collection

Private English collection

Price on request

Seated against a floral lattice cushion upon a deep green carpet decorated with scrolling vines, Krishna speaks with Radha's sakhi (confidante). Adorned in pearls, with his signature peacock feather crown upon his head, Krishna is the image of princely grace and male virility. The outdoor terrace overlooks lush foliage interspersed with pointed cypresses—symbols of Krishna's ardent desire for Radha. Flowering creepers, a common motif in Kangra painting, curl among the branches. Upon them, a pair of lovebirds sit apart, reflecting Krishna and Radha's “love in separation,” (one of the repeated themes employed in Rasikapriya series). above, a clear blue sky belies billowing clouds tinged in bright orange and outlined in silver. The folio number ‘308' is written in Braj Bhasa in in the upper left corner; the reverse with ‘9ll.' The verso is inscribed with verses from the Rasikapriya in alternating red and black script:

When a poet combines sadness with romantic poetry that is not good poetry. 16.6 A messenger speaks to the nayak:

O Rasiklal! (Krishna). Do not be stubborn, as that nayika on seeing me will give up her pleasures and abandon me as well. She has given up bathing, eating and charity. She cannot think and it seems that she will die any moment. Under these circumstances it is not proper that I go there now as your messenger. Taking a letter from you is out of the question. Even at best she would only reluctantly take love messages and stay away from her friends. These days a furnace burns in her heart. In this state of grief how would she receive me with a smile?

16.7

(translation by Dr. Harsha Dehejia)

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Kapoor Galleries

m: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E: info@kapoors.com

W: www.kapoors.com

a pair of boteh-shaped earrings set with rubies around a central diamond.

a Pai R O f dia MO nd and Ru B y E a RR ing S

mysore, india 19th century length: 2,5 cm

Price: SOlD

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

M: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E: sue@ollemans.com

W: www.ollemans.com

A necklace consisting of 16 ruby set beads. Interspersed with small fine granulated gold beads.

a Ru B y and g O ld BE ad n E c K lac E

mysore, india 19th century

Length: 46 cm

Price:

SOlD

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

M: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E: sue@ollemans.com

W: www.ollemans.com

i llu STR aT i O n TO a Raga M ala S ER i ES: Ka K u BH a Ragini

Inscribed with five lines of Sanksrit in black ink on a bold yellow margin

Jaipur, india

Circa 1800

Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper

17 cm x 11 cm

Provenance:

Private French collection

Price on request

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Kapoor Galleries

m: + 1 (212) 794-2300

E: info@kapoors.com

W: www.kapoors.com

Standing before a carefully maintained garden, the beautiful maiden is shown absentmindedly feeding two peacocks within palace grounds. She looks over her right shoulder and holds a garland of white flowers in her left hand. Her bright yellow ghagra (skirt) and short sleeved choli draws attention to her figure which is finely decorated with a repeated pattern of brilliant gold. Her toes and fingers are tipped in red, with an ombré fade below her bare feet shifting from green to a light blue that is repeated in her halo. The necklaces of jewels and pearls that adorn her neck and fall between her breasts are complemented by her bold earrings and nose ring. a peahen stands in front of her on the right hand side, while a peacock stands a little way behind to the left, as food falls gracefully from her palm, almost like a stream of pearls. This painting employs various stylistic features that help to identify the work as a later execution in the cannon of indian miniature paintings. The depth illustrated within this image took multiple centuries to master–the diagonal pathways that appear between garden beds help to shape the composition behind the maiden in order to highlight both her, and the foreground scene, while also directing the eye to the grand architecture rising in the background with its lush garden of flowers.

On the subject of the Kakubha Ragini, Dr. Pal writes "Kakubha is a beautiful young woman, suffering lovesickness, leaving her fine palace and entering the forest... Again and again she arouses the peacock's scream, forgetting soul and body in a trance upon her lord."

For other works on this very subject, see: The museum of Fine arts, Boston, acc no. 17.2910, The Brooklyn Museum of Art, acc no. X623.1, The V & A Museum, no. IS.111-1955, IS.158-1952, and IS.48:35-1956, The Harvard museum of art, no. 1995.122, The British museum, no. 1880,0.2156, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc no. l.2018.44.5, as well as the Rijksmuseum, no. RP-T-1993259 and AK-MAK-1261.

Su Rya STE l E

Bihār or Bengal, Northern India

Pāla dynasty (8th-12th century)

10th-11th century

Black stone

Height: 54 cm

Provenance:

Private Belgian collection

Price : 20.000 euros

it is Surya, god of the Sun, who is represented on this stele. The god is depicted standing; his face, embellished with a mischievous smile, is topped by a heavy ornamented headdress. Adorned with finely chiseled jewelry and accessories, the god is also flanked by two blooming lotus flowers, nourished by the light of the sun god. His feet are shod with the boots characteristic of the god's iconography. He stands on a chariot, driven by his coachman aruna, represented at his feet, and pulled by seven hairs, here represented as galloping.

On either side of the god are various figures. On the left, Pi gala is slightly plump and holds the stylus and inkwell to transcribe the good and bad deeds of men during the day's race. His companion is Darkness. On the right are visible Da a, usually armed with a sword, guardian of the Sun's abode, and his consort Light. The two wives of Sūrya finally, Aurora and Dusk, of smaller stature, draw with their bows strokes like so many rays of the sun. at the top of the stele, two archers defend the beginning and end of the day against the darkness. This stele, of which only the top is missing, is distinguished by a remarkable mixture of stylistic sobriety and iconographic richness. indeed, one notes a strong sense of detail, witnessing the refinement of Pāla art. The characters seem to stand out against the solid background. This last characteristic, as well as the elegance of the characters, probably indicates an early dating, possibly around the 10th century.

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

T: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E: info@galeriehioco.com

W: www.galeriehioco.com

S TE l E O f gan ESH a

Northern india

Pala period

10th-11th century

Black stone

Height: 75 cm

Provenance : Jean-Claude moreau-Gobard collection, 4 November 1997, Paris

Price : 42.000 euros

T: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E: info@galeriehioco.com

W: www.galeriehioco.com

Ga eśa, a particularly venerated god

This fragment of decoration, carved in high relief, depicts Ga eśa seated in latitasana on a cushion, his right tusk broken, his narrow-eyed face framed by his large ears, his trunk dipping into a modaka bowl that he carries in one of his left hands. In his other hands he holds an axe, paraśu, which is also one of Śiva's attributes, consistently present on his representations. He also holds the mâlâ and other Buddhist attributes. His body is adorned with jewels and his forehead is girded with an elaborate tiara.Son of Śiva and Pārvatī, this elephant-headed god enjoys great popular fervor, and he is worshipped in the various streams of Hinduism. He is the one who removes obstacles, and contributes to the prosperity of any enterprise. as a greedy god, his devotees honor him with offerings, especially sweets, which are placed at the foot of the god's statues.

The purity of the forms in the service of the dynamism of the composition

Under the Pala dynasty, whose rulers were mostly Buddhist, religious diversity was nevertheless encouraged. Pala art emerged on the model of the Gupta idiom, which had a great posterity in india, and which also spread to China, Japan and Korea. These canons are thus reused to create a full-fledged part of the Pala period. Here, the sobriety of the forms, the elegance of the movement, are particularly admirable and make this Ga eśa a very fine example of Pala art. To the refinement of the details and ornaments of the god are mixed energyand elegance. To the refinement of the details and ornaments of the god are mixed energy and elegance. The richness of the sculpted details To this purity of the body's forms is added the decorative treatment of the ornaments, in particular the tiara on the god's head, as well as the necklaces around his neck and the bracelets on his arms.

The richness of the sculpted details

To this purity of the body's forms is added the decorative treatment of the ornaments, in particular the tiara on the god's head, as well as the necklaces around his neck

and the bracelets on his arms. His clothing, almost imperceptible, translates this desire of indian artists to create luminous images, according to a religious prerequisite evoked in the texts

jain STE l E

india

Post-Gupta period

7th-8th century

Sandstone

Height: 61,5 cm

Provenance:

michel Beurdeley collection, 1970

Price on request

O

Christophe Hioco

T: +33 (0) 1 53 30 09 65

E: info@galeriehioco.com

W: www.galeriehioco.com

This majestic stele depicts a Jina, or Tīrtha kara, in a meditative attitude.

He is depicted nude – in accordance with Jain iconographic prerequisites, and he is coiffed with a bun from which strands of hair fall over his shoulders. This characteristic hairstyle corresponds to the codes of representation of the Rishabhanatha jina. His chest is adorned in the center with the endless knot, also called śrīvatsa. The figure is surrounded by two attendants, and is seated on a throne supported by two lions on either side of a wheel of the law – dharmachakra. His large, wide-set eyes and his fleshy lips sketching a slight smile are all elements that contribute to the impression of serenity that the stele evokes. The strong geometry and stylization characteristic of Jain works are softened here by the particular care given to the contour lines and the thinness of his eyebrows, which considerably refine the face.

Jainism, an indian religion that predates Buddhism

Jain shrines contain countless representations of the Tīrtha kara, also called Jina, omniscient beings who have escaped the cycle of reincarnations. These extraordinary characters, twenty-four in number, are found throughout the history of the world and are responsible for transmitting the foundations of the Jain doctrine through the centuries. This doctrine predates Buddhism and one of its fundamental principles is non-violence (ahi sā), which applies to all creatures.

a religious art that spread throughout india

The work is characteristic of the medieval period in India, and its refinement is quite remarkable. inspired by the canons of Gupta art, Jain statuary oscillates between profusion of decoration and austere idealization of the portraits. The roundness of the facial features still echoes the great classical aesthetics of the Gupta Empire. it was at this time that the Jain canon was established, borrowing from Buddhist iconography the distinctive marks of sanctity such as the cranial protuberance symbolizing the intelligence of the holy man.

Jain mythology and the role of Rishabhanatha

The first of the twenty-four Jain saviors, Rishabhanatha (also known as adinatha, “lord of the Beginning”), is one of the two Jinns who can be identified without any particular attributes, in his case only by his long braids that fall over his shoulders.

Devotees place Rishabhanatha's origin millions of years ago, at the beginning of our present cosmic cycle, and say that in addition to becoming a Tirthankara, he offered human beings a variety of practical and social skills.

naga n E c K lac E

Shell Necklace

angami naga

india

19th century or earlier Shells

77 cm

Price: 4.000 USD

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Thomas murray

M: + 1 415.378.0716

E: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

W: www.tmurrayarts.com

This prestigious heirloom necklace is composed of large beads likely cut from a giant clam. The angami live high in the mountains and far from the sea. That is why jewelry made from shell is so highly esteemed. a related piece is published in NaGa, awe inspiring beauty, by Michel Draguet, fig 236, p 306.

in the recent publication, Textiles of indonesia, Valerie Hector informs us that shells have been used in Southeast asia as both ornament and currency for millenia. Oliva shell beads were found in an archaeology site of Timor dating to circa 35,000 years ago and Nassarius shell beads were found in the same area dating to 4500 BCE.

Despite the emergence of the glass trade bead industry some two thousand years ago, hand fashioned shell disks continued to serve as a primary way of storing value and signaling prestige up through the 20th century for many ethnic groups of Southeast asia and Oceania. This was owing to the extraordinary labor intensiveness in shell bead creation, and the principle that the further from the sea, the greater the value for all artifacts made from shell.

This small exhibition features shell artwork from some of the most legendary headhunting peoples of asia, including the greatest shell-decorated garment in the world from the atayal of Taiwan; a blouse decorated with mother of pearl shell beads from the B'laan of Mindanao, Philippines; an early warrior's cape from the Naga with appliqued cowrie shells, making a human figure amid circles; and an extraordinary Naga necklace fashioned from giant clam, both from the northeastern highlands of india.

it is a pleasure to share this deeply meaningful group with you!

naga ca PE

Headhunter's Cape Naga

india

19th/very early 20th century

Cotton, dog hair, shells

150 cm x 99 cm

Price: 4.000 USD

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY: Thomas

M: + 1 415.378.0716

E: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

W: www.tmurrayarts.com

On a finely handspun cotton cloth, cowry shells are stitched down depicting cosmic diagrams of circles and a human figure, awarded only to a successful headhunter. Supplementary weft squares of reddish dog hair decorate the background. Cathryn Cootner was the curator of textiles at the Fine arts museums of San Francisco from 1981, a position she held for 16 years.

in the recent publication, Textiles of indonesia, Valerie Hector informs us that shells have been used in Southeast asia as both ornament and currency for millenia. Oliva shell beads were found in an archaeology site of Timor dating to circa 35,000 years ago and Nassarius shell beads were found in the same area dating to 4500 BCE. Despite the emergence of the glass trade bead industry some two thousand years ago, hand fashioned shell disks continued to serve as a primary way of storing value and signaling prestige up through the 20th century for many ethnic groups of Southeast asia and Oceania. This was owing to the extraordinary labor intensiveness in shell bead creation, and the principle that the further from the sea, the greater the value for all artifacts made from shell.

This small exhibition features shell artwork from some of the most legendary headhunting peoples of asia, including the greatest shell-decorated garment in the world from the atayal of Taiwan; a blouse decorated with mother of pearl shell beads from the B'laan of Mindanao, Philippines; an early warrior's cape from the Naga with appliqued cowrie shells, making a human figure amid circles; and an extraordinary Naga necklace fashioned from giant clam, both from the northeastern highlands of india.

it is a pleasure to share this deeply meaningful group with you!

dEH ua STEMBOW l

China ming Dynasty

17th century

Height: 11,5 cm

Diameter: 13 cm

Provenance: Private English collection

Price: 12.000 USD

a Dehua cream glazed stembowl, the vessel with gently rising sides to flaring rim on a spreading foot, the body and foot each with a single horizontal band on a plain ground

For a 17th century Dehua stemcup, see Donnelly, Blanc de Chine, pl. 35 (c) (right-hand side image).

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Rasti Fine art ltd.

m:+852 2415 1888

E: gallery@rastifineart.com

W: www.rastifineart.com

cO cO d E M ER d i SH

China

late ming Dynasty

16-17th century

Diameter: 20,3 cm

Price: 15.000 USD

Rasti

m.:+852

E.: gallery@rastifineart.com

W: www.rastifineart.com

a coco de mer circular dish carved to the exterior with a continuous band of four coiled dragons among cloudscrolls within bands of geometric designs and lappets, the base with carved sealmark within a double-circle, the shell of dark-brown tone, the interior lined with silver.

For a similarly carved pair of coco de mer weiqi boxes, see Suzhou museum Redact, Handicraft Works Collected by Suzhou Museum, pp. 136-137; for a circular box and cover, see The Precious Arts and Crafts of Ming and Qing Dynasties, 1981, no. 182; and the same box is also illustrated in The Palace museum, ed., The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, p. 96, pl. 88.

cO cO d E M ER d i SH

China

late ming Dynasty

16-17th century

Diameter: 22,2 cm

Price: 16.000 USD

a coco de mer circular dish carved to the exterior with oval quatrefoil cartouches containing coiled dragons on grounds of cloud-scrolls, interspersed with further cloud-scrolls, all on a ground of cracked-ice pattern, the underside with a further coiled dragon on cloudscroll ground within a wide band of cracked-ice pattern, the interior in red lacquer, the shell of dark-brown tone covered with a layer of lacquer.

For a similarly carved coco de mer box and cover from the Edward T. Chow Collection, see Chow, One Man’s Taste: Treasures from the Lakeside Pavilion, p. 30, no. W20; for an incense box, see The Palace museum, ed., The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, p. 95, pl. 87; and a bowl in the same publication, p. 97, pl. 89.

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Rasti Fine art ltd.

m.:+852 2415 1888

E.: gallery@rastifineart.com

W: www.rastifineart.com

S nuff BOTT l E

China

Possibly imperial, attributed to the Palace Workshops

1780-1850

Jadeite

Height: 5,3 cm (excluding the stopper)

Provenance:

Private French collection

Price: 10.000 USD

A jadeite snuff bottle, very well-hollowed, of bulbous, rounded form, the vivid apple-green stone with patches of white, continuously carved in low relief with a coiling, scaly dragon flying through scrolling clouds.

Jadeite has been highly prized by the Chinese for centuries. it was known to them from the late ming dynasty but did not become a treasured material until the last quarter of the Qianlong reign. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, high quality jadeite was imported into China in larger quantities. initially the Chinese traders brought it directly across the Burmese border, although after 1780 supplies became dependable via regular traffic through Guangzhou.

m:+ 1.310.980.4084

E: clarechuasianart@gmail.com

S nuff BOTT l E

China 1906

Glass, inside-painted, meng Zishou

Height: 5,6 cm (excluding the stopper)

Provenance:

Bruce Dayton and Ruth Stricker

Dayton, il.

Price: 7.000 USD O BJ

m:+ 1.310.980.4084

E: clarechuasianart@gmail.com

A glass snuff bottle, of flattened, rectangular form with rounded shoulders sloping to a cylindrical neck, and with an oval footrim, painted on the inside using ink and watercolors, one side with a scene of a rooster strutting on a grassy bank beside massive rockwork and flowering cockscomb, the reverse with a dragonfly and a butterfly in the air above a pair of grasshoppers perched on bok choy, eating the leaves, signed meng Zishou and dated 1906.

meng Zishou ( also known as meng Zhaoxun) worked, as many of the turn of the century artists did, in Beijing. From his extant works of approximately 90 bottles, Meng's working period appears to be from 1904–1919. His painting and calligraphy varies in quality with his earlier works appearing less commercial, although he along with the other Beijing artists ran commerciallybased workshops.

cH in ESE WOv E n TE x T il E

China

Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911)

18th century

Weft-patterned weaving, silk and gold

Height: 169 cm. (66.5 in.)

Width: 96 cm. (37.8 in.)

Provenance:

French collection

Price: SOlD

M: +1 646 753-4938

E: kennedyalan@hotmail.com

W: www.alankennedyasianart.com

Two identical panels are sewn together with a horizontal seam. Each panel has a central floral and scrolling vine medallion surrounded by four dragons with five claws. The four dragons consist of two confronting pairs, with each pair facing a flaming jewel. At the corners of each panel there is a lotus flower and a pair of lion-dogs and a ball decorated with ribbons.

most interesting are the animals depicted around the three borders of each panel. They are the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, and consist of the rabbit, snake, horse, dog, monkey, dragon, tiger, rat, ox, pig, goat and rooster. The representation of all twelve zodiac animals is uncommon in a Chinese textile. in the Chinese zodiac system, each lunar year corresponds to an animal in the twelve-year cycle.

The previous use of this textile is uncertain. it may have served as a table or altar cover.

S Oa PSTO n E cH i ME

China

18th century

length: 25 cm

Price on request

M:

E: brandt@nildram.co.uk

W: www.brandtasianart.com

a mottled, yellowish, brown soapstone archaistic model of a chime, carved in low relief with bats on a large stylised mythical animal, represented by two eyes and coiled wings, all around a Shou symbol. The ground is patterned with spirals and concentric circles. The reverse with similar design.

T HREE aRT iculaTE d i n SE c TS

Japan

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Length: 10 cm, 6,25 cm and 6 cm

Price on request

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

Brandt asian art

M: +44 (0)7774 989 661

E: brandt@nildram.co.uk

W: www.brandtasianart.com

a silver articulated model of a praying mantis, the wings chiselled and signed under the inner wing muneyoshi. a silver articulated model of a cicada, the wings and head well chiselled and signed under the inner wing muneyoshi.

a silver articulated model of a hornet, with protracting sting. The wings well chiselled and signed under the inner wing muneyoshi.

a large and spectacular coverlet embroidered in coloured silks on an imperial yellow ground. The central medallion with a large stylised chrysanthemum surrounded with exotic rococo floral swags. The inner corners decorated with shields entwined with further floral designs, the matching boarder with further meandering flowers.

18th century

Price on request O

M:

E:

a g O ld TORTO i SE

PE ndan T

North West Cambodia

13 – 14th century

Price: SOlD

O BJ e CT P R e S en T e D BY:

M: + 44 (0) 7775 566 356

E: sue@ollemans.com

W: www.ollemans.com

Tortoise images were popular with Khmer artists and were frequently represented in Pre-angkor -period ceramics. The long life span of the tortoise associated it with longevity in many cultures especially in ancient Chia where it represents the universe; The dome shaped shell represents the sky and the belly the earth, frequently used also in Hindu culture.

aTayal cOST u ME

Headhunter costume atayal

Taiwan

19th/very early 20th century

Ramie, raveled trade wool, shell disk beads

48 cm x 96,5 cm

Provenance: Valerie Hector collection

Price on Request

M: + 1 415.378.0716

E: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

W: www.tmurrayarts.com

Robes of this type are the most important of all Taiwan aboriginal costumes and were exclusively worn by successful headhunters of the atayal people. Exceptionally rare, they were profoundly labor intensive to create. The red color represents the Blood of life, the linear geometry of the beading, the Rainbow Path of the ancestors. The hand pierced shell beads represent thousands of hours of stored value.

in the recent publication, Textiles of indonesia, Valerie Hector informs us that shells have been used in Southeast asia as both ornament and currency for millenia. Oliva shell beads were found in an archaeology site of Timor dating to circa 35,000 years ago and Nassarius shell beads were found in the same area dating to 4500 BCE.

Despite the emergence of the glass trade bead industry some two thousand years ago, hand fashioned shell disks continued to serve as a primary way of storing value and signaling prestige up through the 20th century for many ethnic groups of Southeast asia and Oceania. This was owing to the extraordinary labor intensiveness in shell bead creation, and the principle that the further from the sea, the greater the value for all artifacts made from shell.

This small exhibition features shell artwork from some of the most legendary headhunting peoples of asia, including the greatest shell-decorated garment in the world from the atayal of Taiwan; a blouse decorated with mother of pearl shell beads from the B'laan of Mindanao, Philippines; an early warrior's cape from the Naga with appliqued cowrie shells, making a human figure amid circles; and an extraordinary Naga necklace fashioned from giant clam, both from the northeastern highlands of india.

it is a pleasure to share this deeply meaningful group with you!

B'laan B l O u SE

Beaded Blouse

B'laan

mindanao, Philippines

Circa 1890-1920

Cotton, handmade shell disks

36 cm x 114 cm

Provenance:

Valerie Hector collection

Price on Request

Thomas murray

M: + 1 415.378.0716

E: thomas@tmurrayarts.com

W: www.tmurrayarts.com

This remarkable blouse was created using hand-carved shell disks that are both aesthetically pleasing and a storage of value. Thousands of hours of hard labor were required to make so many organic sequins. That the blouse is a tailored garment made from cotton may be said to represent a later Indian influence, probably in the 4th century, about the time indians introduced cotton.

in the recent publication, Textiles of indonesia, Valerie Hector informs us that shells have been used in Southeast asia as both ornament and currency for millenia. Oliva shell beads were found in an archaeology site of Timor dating to circa 35,000 years ago and Nassarius shell beads were found in the same area dating to 4500 BCE. Despite the emergence of the glass trade bead industry some two thousand years ago, hand fashioned shell disks continued to serve as a primary way of storing value and signaling prestige up through the 20th century for many ethnic groups of Southeast asia and Oceania. This was owing to the extraordinary labor intensiveness in shell bead creation, and the principle that the further from the sea, the greater the value for all artifacts made from shell.

This small exhibition features shell artwork from some of the most legendary headhunting peoples of asia, including the greatest shell-decorated garment in the world from the atayal of Taiwan; a blouse decorated with mother of pearl shell beads from the B'laan of Mindanao, Philippines; an early warrior's cape from the Naga with appliqued cowrie shells, making a human figure amid circles; and an extraordinary Naga necklace fashioned from giant clam, both from the northeastern highlands of india.

it is a pleasure to share this deeply meaningful group with you!

a R a RE z OOMORPH ic PO li SH ing i MP l EME n T

Central asia

15th-16th century

Serpentine

7,4 cm (h) x 11,2 cm (w)

Provenance:

Formerly in the Henry-René d'Allemagne collection (1863-1950), published in 1911 and 1948.

Publications:

Allemagne (d'), H.-R. (1911) Du Khorassan au pays des Backhtiaris, trois mois de voyage en Perse, Tome

iii, p. 97.

Janneau, G. (1948) Henry-René d’Allemagne – La Maison d’un vieux collectionneur, Paris: librairie

Gründ, Tome Second, N°103.

Price: 25.000 euros

O BJ e CT P R e S en

alexis Renard

T: + 33 1 44 07 33 02

E: alexis@alexisrenard.com

W: www.alexisrenard.com

This rare and interesting polishing implement is clearly inspired by the Chinese dragons often reproduced in Central asia and the indo-Persian world. Related dragons' heads can be found on jade jugs of the Timurid period as well as on sword handles dating to the same period. Here the maker has used the shape of the tail to aid the user's grip, and has added a bald human head with a moustache, emerging from the gaping jaws of the beast.

For closely related examples, see: D. J. Roxburgh, Royal academy of arts exhibition (2005), Turks: a Journey of a Thousand Years, 600–1600, Italy: Graphicom, pp. 234–235 ; T. W. lentz and T. and G. D. lowry (1989), exhibition at the los angeles County museum of art and the arthur m Sackler Gallery, Timur and the Princely Vision: Persian art and Culture in the Fifteenth Century, p. 143.

See also: The metropolitan museum of art, The legacy of Genghis Khan: Courtly art and Culture in Western asia, 1256–1353, pp. 26–27, Figs. 21, 22, 23.

Henry-René d'Allemagne was an important French collector who acquired objects of many kinds, including ironwork, playing cards, costumes and islamic art. He published a number of books about his collection, including the 1911 Du Khorassan au pays des Backhtiaris, trois mois de voyage en Perse (‘From Khorassan in the land of the Backhtiaris, three months of travel in Persia'), written after three-month journey through Iran. Since the book includes this dragon, it is very likely that the object was acquired on this trip.