Khmer Empire, 12^th century. The Preserver of the Universe standing in samapada on a rectangular base, holding the conch and chakra in his raised secondary hands. His serene face sensitively modeled with almond-shaped eyes, round pupils, sinuous brow, full lips, and wavy mustache. The hair piled up into an elaborate conical chignon, with neatly incised braids surmounted by towering rows of petals, behind the meticulously carved foliate tiara neatly tied with string at the back.

Provenance: From the collection of Professor Giuseppe Federici, Bologna, Italy, early 1990s. Collection of Leonardo Vigorelli, Bergamo, acquired from the above. Professor Giuseppe Federici was a collector, musician, and traveler, who assembled an eclectic collection containing pieces from across Asia and the world. Leonardo Vigorelli is a retired Italian art dealer and noted collector, specializing in African and ancient Hindu-Buddhist art. After studying anthropology and decades of travel as well as extensive field research in India, the Himalayan region, Southeast Asia, and Africa, he founded the Dalton Somaré art gallery in Milan, Italy, which today is being run by his two sons.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, losses, some old repairs, signs of weathering and erosion, structural fissures, nicks, and scratches. The stone with a fine, naturally grown, smooth patina overall.
Italian Export License: Certificato di Avvenuta Importazione, N. 448, dated 17 December 2013, has been granted by the Ufficio Esportazione di Milano, Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo. A copy of the document accompanies this lot.

Dimensions: Height 225 cm (incl. tang) and 178 cm (measured from the plinth)

The short sampot is arranged in multiple patterns, including tightly spaced vertical pleats around the right leg enhanced by a fishtail fold and loosely fanned diagonal waves across the left. A double-anchor fold bridges the thighs, the gathered fabric pulled snugly between the legs from the verso and then set in an elegant crest on back and front just below the top, secured with a broad belt.

Angkor Wat, erected by King Suryavarman II (r. 1113 - circa 1150), the great ruler of the Khmer empire, was built both as the royal temple complex dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu and as the ruler’s personal mausoleum. The magnitude of this building program underscored the intention of the King to establish his authority and strength as a leader. By linking himself directly to Vishnu, the deity associated with restoring cosmic order, he legitimized his spiritual and worldly power. This is captured aesthetically in the sturdy figural proportions and powerfully frontal images created during his time, evident here in this present sculpture of Vishnu.

The style of Angkor Wat seen here harks back to the earlier styles of the Koh Ker and Pre Rup traditions of the tenth century, rather than the preceding style of the Baphuon period. Lerner states that for a “ruler concerned with martial campaigns and responsible for such a gigantic personal monument as Angkor Wat, the Baphuon figural style may have appeared too consciously unheroic and sensuous.” (see Martin Lerner, Ancient Khmer Sculpture, New York, 1994, p. 46). Instead, rather than soft contours, each element has weight. The sampot for example is made of thick material, and the face and crown show solidity too, with the broad face firmly supporting the conical diadem decorated in a linear and formulaic patterning.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related sandstone figure of Vishnu, dated to the 12th century, in the Tokyo National Museum, collection reference no. TC-382. For a closely related treatment of the sampot, see a smaller sandstone figure of Avalokiteshvara, Angkor Wat style, 12^th century, formerly in the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth and sold at his sale by Christie’s New York, 17 March 2015, lot 36.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Paris, 11 December 2013, lot 342
Price: EUR 121,500 or approx. EUR 145,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare and important sandstone figure of Vishnu, Khmer, Pre-Rup style, mid-10th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving. This figure is of the earlier Pre-Rup style, mid-10^th century, but the similar treatment of the sampot and the crown belie the influence this style had on the present lot. Note the much smaller size (121 cm).