from Bactria to Kashmir

from Bactria to Kashmir art from india and south east asia Joost van den Bergh

1 Bronze seated Buddha Lopburi style, Thailand, 13th 14th century Height: 48 cm (19 in) Width: 38 cm (15 in) Provenance: Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1993; private collection, UK The distinct style of sculpture from the city of Lopburi, in central Thailand, typically shows strong influences from the Khmer people of neighbouring Cambodia. Lopburi was effectively the capital of a Khmer province in the disintegrating Mon kingdom. From the Dvaravati period (c. 6th 13th century) onwards, Lopburi was an active Buddhist centre, drawing pilgrims and artists from a wide area. This resulted in the stylistic influence of the Palas of Eastern India from the 12th century onwards. During the 13th century, a reversion away from foreign influences saw the emergence of a more indigenous style with strong Khmer overtones, as seen in this impressive bronze depiction of the Buddha, cast with great precision and detail. Distinctive features of Lopburi sculpture (as opposed to other sculpture from Thailand) include the small smile, disproportionally large ears and earlobes, and realistically depicted hair. A comparable bronze Buddha figure dated to the 13th 14th century is in the Royal Collection at the National Museum in Bangkok (Jean Boisselier, The Heritage of Thai Sculpture, New York & Tokyo: Weatherhill, 1975, p.234).

2 Terracotta head of a Western man Gandhara civilisation (modern-day Pakistan/Afghanistan), 4th 5th century Height: 21 cm (8¼ in) Width: 18 cm (7⅛ in) Provenance: Private collection, Germany For centuries, the Indo-Aryan kingdom of Gandhara was incredibly wealthy owing to its position on the Silk Road trade routes. The art from this region is a compelling fusion of foreign styles that give visual form to Buddhist religious ideals. Alexander the Great conquered the regions of Gandhara, Bactria and Swat in 327 BC. These areas came under the control of his generals after his death in 323 BC and were considered part of the Hellenistic world. Thus, the art made at this time is markedly Hellenistic in character, and it is likely that Greco-Roman artisans worked alongside local craftspeople, catering for a local audience. This portrait is stylistically Roman in spirit, and may have been made by one of the craftspeople who came from the West. This head appears to portray a Western man. The naturalistic treatment of the facial expression and hair suggest a youthful person, details that are not seen in depictions of the Buddha or bodhisattva. 4

3 Schist torso of Buddha Gandhara civilisation (modern-day Pakistan/Afghanistan), c. 1st century Height: 114 cm (45 in) Width: 58 cm (22¾ in) The region of Gandhara, located at the centre of the Silk Route, was heavily influenced by Hellenistic culture as a result of the travels and military campaigns of Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. The legacy of Hellenism that he left was integrated into local traditions, out of which was born the Gandharan school of art, a unique fusion of East and West. This monumental standing torso of the Buddha highlights the mastery of the artist at a time when Buddhist stone sculpture in the Gandharan region was at its most refined. The corporal solidity of this sculpture gives the Buddha the prominence of a singular, independent figure. The monastic robe is draped across both shoulders, hanging naturalistically in folds accentuating the contours of the body, testifying to the sculptor s artistic skill.

4 Schist head of Buddha Ancient region of Gandhara, 2nd 3rd century Height: 15 cm (6 in) 9

5 Marble elephant frieze Northern India, 17th century Height: 42 cm (16½ in) Width: 103.5 cm (40¾ in)

6 Standing maharaja Papier-mâché Mysore, India, 19th century Height: 20 cm (7¾ in) Width: 9 cm (3½ in) The art of papier-mâché was brought by Muslims from Persia to Kashmir during the 15th century. Papier-mâché remains highly marketable in India and is still part of the luxury handicraft market today. 12

7 Ganga-Jamuna Rama Mysore, India, 18th century Height: 16.5 cm (6½ in) Width: 7 cm (2¾ in) Rama is the embodiment of chivalry and virtue and is one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities. Ganga- Jamuna is a technique employed in decorating the surfaces of metalware wherein brass and copper are combined to obtain shapes. This type of metalware is common in the Himalayan foothills. 13

8 Ganesha Eastern India, 16th 17th century; base 19th century Height: 11 cm (4⅜ in) 9 Narasimha and Lakshmi (Lakshminarasimha) Tamil Nadu, India, 16th 17th century Height: 8 cm (3¼ in) Width: 5 cm (2 in) Provenance: Private collection, UK Narasimha is one of the eight avatars of Vishnu. The deity s name derives from two words: nara, meaning man and simha, meaning lion. Vishnu assumed the appearance of a half-man, half-beast to overcome a demon king who could not be killed by either a man or a beast. The leonine characteristics as manifested in the deity s face are fierceness, bravery and independence. The consort here is Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity, purity and generosity. 14

10 Bronze Annapurna Western India, 15th 16th century Height: 9.8 cm (3⅞ in) Width: 6.5 cm (2⅝ in) Provenance: Collection of the late Andrew Solomon, London, inv. No. A72; purchased from Obelisk Gallery (J.G. McMullen), 15 Crawford Street, London W1, 29 December 1971 The female deity Annapurna is a form of Parvati, consort of Siva. Annapurna feeds the starving by ladling out rice from her bowl. In this depiction, she is seated in the lalitasana pose and is holding her ladle across her lap surrounded by an arched prabha, the kalasa now missing. 15

11 Standing bronze Hanuman Maharashtra/Karnataka, India, 17th 18th century Height: 15.5 cm (6 in) Width: 9.5 cm (3¾ in) 12 Durga Western India, 16th 17th century Height: 9cm (3½ in) Hanuman, the monkey god, is the symbol of strength and energy. He is the fervent devotee of Lord Rama and one of the central characters of the epic of Ramayana. He is upheld as a model for human devotion, regarded as a perfect symbol of selflessness and loyalty because of his bravery, perseverance, strength and devoted service to Lord Rama. Worship of Hanuman aids the individual to counter the bad karma borne out of selfish action, granting the believer fortitude and strength in their own trials during the journey of life. 16

13 Ganesha Madya Pradesh, 17th century Height: 11.5 cm (4½ in) Provenance: Private collection, UK 14 Bhairava shrine Central India, 18th century Height: 8.5 cm (3⅜ in)

15 Stone head of Buddha Sukhothai, Thailand, 17th century Height: 5.5 cm (2⅛ in) Width: 5 cm (2 in) 16 Bronze Shiva Khmer, Angkor period, 12th century Height: 7 cm (2⅝ in) Width: 2.5 cm (1 in)

17 Silver Akha pendant Burma, early 20th century Height: 8 cm (3¼ in) Width: 6.5 cm (2½ in) Provenance: Private collection, UK, 1970s The Akha people originally came from the Yunnan province in China, migrating to South East Asia during the late 19th and early 20th century. They were one of the poorest of the hill tribes. Before converting to evangelical Christianity, their belief system was a mixture of animism, ancestor worship and a strong connection to the land. Akha silverware, made from Chinese coin silver in the late 19th and early 20th century, is remarkable. The silver is 99.5 99.9% pure (compared to 92.5% used in Sterling silver), the other fraction of a per cent being the solder used to complete the piece. This very high silver content makes for a softer metal that is thus easier to shape into unique and fantastic styles. The silverware is all handmade using techniques and tools that have been passed down through generations. Consequently, each piece is unique, adding to its charm. 19

18 Menghitamkan gigi (tooth ritual tool) Lampung, South Sumatra, Indonesia, c. 19th century Height: 22 cm (8¾ in) Width: 80 cm (31½ in) Provenance: Henry Brownrigg, London, purchased from Samuel Eilenberg Tooth blackening was a traditional way of preserving teeth and gums. Pointed and white teeth were likened to those of ferocious witches, savages, wild animals and demons. Thus, teeth were filed flat and blackened so that a child could become fully human, able to rein in the emotions, and not be mistaken for an evil spirit.

19 Steel chutmer (flint striker) Mughal, India, 18th century Height: 7.5 cm (3in) Length: 19 cm (7½ in) This is an exceptionally large chutmer (flint striker), finely cast in tempered steel and chiselled with a looped finial. The beauty of this item does not detract from its functionality; its straight-bottomed edge would have been used to create a spark when struck against a flint. The flint striker as a tool probably originated in Persia, where examples are known to date back to the 11th century. The use of steel for the manufacture of these objects started in Persia after the late 15th century. The elegant shape of the body of this example is based on Persian designs. This object tells us about the practicalities of life in 18th-century India while also functioning as an ornament. 22

20 Large brass kyi-zi (temple gong) Burma, 18th 19th century Height: 32 cm (12½ in) Width: 47 cm (18½ in) This is an exceptionally large Burmese gong. Triangular brass gongs or chimes are hung in temples in Burma, where they are struck by a monk or novice whenever the temple receives a donation from a worshipper the ring of the bell calls out to announce the act of merit. Temple gongs are also struck by monks to mark their pre-dawn rising, devotions and meal times, as well as their evening retirement.

21 Bactria-Margiana stone disc tablets Afghanistan, c. 3000 1500 BC Diameter: 25.9 cm (10 in) Depth: 4.1 cm (1½ in) Before the 2nd millennium BC, Afghanistan was populated by nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes. Advances in tool manufacture, crop production and the domestication of animals brought about the advent of urbanisation. With these small townships came burial sites and all the rituals associated with them. Tablets of various shapes, arranged along the length of the body on both sides, have been discovered in the graves of excavated burial sites. Their exact meaning and significance is unknown, but it is likely that they served a ritual purpose as symbols denoting a rite of passage.

22 Bronze pandan box Rajasthan, India, 17th 18th century Height: 5 cm (2 in) Diameter: 7 cm (2¾ in) This circular cast bronze container, or pandan, was used to store pan, or betel quid, after it had been stuffed and rolled ready to eat. The chewing of betel is an ancient Asian tradition comparable to the use of tobacco in the Western world. Betel consists of three main ingredients: areca nut, betel leaf and lime paste. Betel was, and still, is enormously popular throughout Asia; it plays a major role in the entertaining of guests, in courtship and marriage, and in the traditional etiquette of the royal courts. 26

23 Cast bronze lime container Deccan, India, 18th 19th century Height: 18.5 cm (7¼ in) Width: 7 cm (2¾ in) This finely cast container was used to store lime one of the three core ingredients of betel, the others being areca nut and betel leaf. They are added together to produce a mildly intoxicating combination that is chewed. The chewing of betel is an ancient Asian tradition comparable to the smoking of tobacco in the Western world. Conventional wisdom was that poison could be concealed in lime, so betel chewers would bring their own lime to social occasions; hence the need for small, portable lime containers such as this one, with its lavish vegetal decoration.

24 Silver filigree container Orissa, India, c. 1900 Height: 5.5 cm (2¼ in) Width: 12 cm (4¾ in) Silver filigree, locally called tarakasi, is the finest and most unique handicraft of Orissa. Filigree is a delicate and intricate type of metalwork. Tiny beads and twisted threads, usually of gold or silver, are soldered together or to the surface of an object of the same metal and arranged in artistic motifs. The lace-like effect was highly popular in Asia. This unusual filigree container may have been used to contain fragrant leaves.

25 Silver gilt repoussé betel box Indonesia, 19th century Height: 11 cm (4¼ in) Diameter: 18 cm (7 in)

26 Papier-mâché stationery cabinet Kashmir, 19th century Height: 27 cm (10¾ in) Width: 35 cm (13¾ in) The area of Kashmir, particularly its capital, Srinagar, was well known in the 19th century for the manufacture of high-quality lacquered papier-mâché work. Made for both domestic use and for export, a wide range of objects such as candlesticks, pen cases, boxes and flasks was produced. 31

27 Jali (perforated screen) Mughal, Northern India, 18th century Height: 127 cm (50 in) Width: 93.5 cm (36¾ in) A jali is a perforated screen, generally of stone, to filter outdoor light. This form of architectural decoration is common in Hindu temples, Indo-Islamic architecture and in Islamic architecture more generally. The jali helps in lowering the temperature inside a building by compressing the air through the holes; when the air passes through these openings, its velocity increases, causing profound diffusion. The screen also provides privacy. 33

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28 Shadow puppet Ink on vellum Andhra Pradesh, India, early 20th century Height: 175 cm (69 in) Width: approx. 90 cm (35¼ in) This is an exceptionally large shadow puppet, from a Ramayana set of Tholu Bommalata, the shadow puppet theatre tradition of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Shadow puppetry is an ancient tradition in India, providing knowledge of the Hindu epics of Ramayana and the Mahabarata, as well as local folk tales. The puppets were made from animal hide, then painted and oiled, making them semi-transparent. During a performance, light is shed by two lamps several feet behind the screen, with the puppets held close to the screen. The figures appear and disappear once they are taken beyond the range of light. This interplay of light and coloured shadows is the strongest aspect of the supernatural and dream-like effect of shadow puppetry. This Andhra Pradesh puppet is unique compared to other styles in that it is created in a combination of profile and frontal views. A comparable puppet was published by Kramisch (Stella Kramisch, Unknown India: Ritual Art in Tribe and Village, Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1968, p.99). 35

29 Blue glass vessels Blue glass, partly blown in a mould with thread decoration Shiraz, Iran, 18th 19th century Height: 16.5 cm (6½ in) Width: 9 cm (31 in) These vessels were made at a time when there was a revival of the local glass industry in Iran. Although glass production had been well established in the Iranian region in medieval times, for unknown reasons, the glass industry went into decline between the 13th and 17th centuries. At the beginning of the 16th century, Venice became the leading glass producer and exporter to the Muslim world, and many items were produced specifically for the Islamic market. The rising popularity of glass in countries such as England and the Netherlands prompted a revival of Iranian production, with vessels such as these coming to Europe shortly after their production in the 19th century.

30 Reverse glass painting of Durga South India, 19th century Height: 45 cm (17¾ in) Width: 34.5 cm (13⅝ in) Provenance: Private collection, London Durga is the warrior goddess whose mythology centres around combatting evil that threatens the peace, prosperity and dharma of the good. She is the fierce form of the protective mother goddess, willing to unleash her anger against wrong and for liberation and destruction to empower creation. Reverse glass painting flourished in the mid-19th century. The term describes both how the painting is executed and how it is viewed. The artist began by placing a clear sheet of glass over their master drawing. They first drew the finer lines and the details of the painting. Then, metallic foil and coloured or gold paper sequins might be added. The painting was then mounted with the unpainted side foremost, so that the painting was seen through the glass. 37

31 Varanasi Gouache and ink on paper Company School, North India, c. 1860 Height: 32 cm (12⅝ in) Width: 56 cm (22 in) This gouache depicts the waterfront of the River Ganges in the city of Varanasi in the Uttar Pradesh region of northern India. Varanasi is considered one of the holiest cities of India. A mosque towers over Varanasi, dominating the skyline. Known as the Alamgir Mosque (meaning Conqueror of the World ), this was built by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. We, the viewer, are looking from the far bank, where pilgrims and daily worshippers thronged, eager to bathe in the Ganges purifying waters. The brushwork is intricate and the painting includes Sanskrit inscriptions. A series of 12 related views by the same hand are in the British Museum, London (museum number 1860,0728,0.675).

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32 Vajrapani amulet Tibet, 12th 13th century Height: 7 cm (2¾ in) Width: 4.5 cm (1¾ in) 33 Mandala Tibet, 18th century Height: 25.5 cm (10 in) Width: 25.5 cm (10 in) Mandalas are pathways or magic windows to the deepest possible Buddhist understandings of the cosmos and the self. The Sanskrit word mandala means magical sanctum, referring to the harmonious environment that the Buddha created on the foundation of his perfect wisdom. Mandalas are aids to meditation, encouraging change from an ordinary perception of the world to that of the Buddha s enlightenment. The most commonly seen mandalas are the so-called palace-architecture mandalas of Tibet and Nepal; flat, vibrant, painted cosmograms, depicting the otherworldly spheres of powerful deities in contrast to the realm of the unenlightened. 40

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34 Set of four mandalas Gouache and ink on paper Tibet, 19th century Height: 18 cm (7 in) Width: 18 cm (7 in) Provenance: Private collection, Italy 42

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Published in 2018 by Joost van den Bergh Ltd Joost van den Bergh Ltd 24 Georgian House 10 Bury Street, St. James s London SW1Y 6AA United Kingdom +44 (0)20 7839 8200 joostvandenbergh.com Images & text Joost van den Bergh All rights reserved For the book in this form Joost van den Bergh Research: Carlotta La Tour Designed by Roger Fawcett-Tang, Struktur Design Edited by Nicola Hodgson, www.root-and-branch-editing.com Special thanks to Donald Dinwiddie Photography by Matt Pia Printing and repro in London by Push All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.