Opinion: Looking at Phnom Da style sculptures, one can see a great degree of cross-cultural influence. While one could argue that this sculptural style is distinctly of Khmer origin, with such early sites present in Vietnam, we are more likely seeing the spread of sources of foreign cultural influence, bringing things like Hinduism, coming from outside the region and merging with local cultures. Certain attributes of this sculpture in particular can be seen in early Gupta sculpture, such as the 4th century Harihara in the National Museum of New Delhi. It is also interesting to note that the earliest known written texts in Southeast Asia are from Vietnam, written during the 4th century, predating the first Khmer texts by hundreds of years.

Finely carved in relief with four arms holding symbols of power, positioned above the severed head of a buffalo, with a tall crown and pendulous earlobes, backed by a striated nimbus.

Provenance: Spink & Son, London, by 2 November 1999 (according to Christie’s record). Christie’s New York, 20 September 2000, lot 154 (according to Christie’s record). Property from a West Coast collection, acquired from the above (according to Christie’s record). Christie’s New York, 13 September 2016, lot 245, estimate of USD 30,000 or approx. EUR 34,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Michael Phillips, acquired from the above in an after-sale transaction. A copy of a Christie’s record, accessed on 1 October 2018, confirming the provenance above, and stating an after-sale purchase price for the present lot of USD 18,750 or approx. EUR 21,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot. Michael Phillips (born 1943) is an Academy Award-winning film producer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, his parents were Lawrence and Shirley Phillips, noted New York dealers in Asian fine arts, selling to the Met, the LACMA, the Chicago Art Institute, and the British Museum among others. Michael Phillips is a collector of Asian art himself, particularly Indian, Southeast Asian, and Himalayan sculpture. His most important films include The Sting (winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1973), Taxi Driver (winning the Palme d’Or at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival), and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, losses, nicks, scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, structural cracks, old fills.

Dimensions: Height 89 cm (excl. stand) and 97 cm (incl. stand)

Mounted on an associated stand. (2)

Mahishasura was a shape-shifting king who was granted the power of immortality by Lord Brahma. After years of tormenting his people, he was vanquished by a manifestation of the demon-fighting form of Parvati known as Durga. Durga fought Mahishasura over a period of fifteen days during which he kept changing his shape into different animals. She finally vanquished him when he took the form of a buffalo, slaying him with her trident. It is just after this victorious moment that we see Durga depicted here, with the severed head of Mahishasura laying at Durga’s feet and her four arms holding the conch shell, the wheel, the ball, and the club, symbolizing the powers given to her by Vishnu. It is an ancient story of good versus evil.

Literature comparison:
Compare with a stone image of a female deity from the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, exhibited in Arts of Ancient Viet Nam: From River Plain to Open Sea at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, both statues showing an unusual and rare striated nimbus. Also, compare with a stone image of a reclining figure of Vishnu in the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, both statues showing very similar facial characteristics.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 13 September 2016, lot 249
Price: USD 21,250 or approx. EUR 24,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A gray sandstone figure of Durga Mahishasuramardini, Khmer, pre-Angkor period, Phnom Da style, 6th century
Expert remark: This is an important comparable of Durga from an early period in Southeast Asian history, not only because it is “rare to find a sculpture of the demon-slaying goddess from the pre-Angkor period” (as noted in the catalog description for the lot), but also because it was in the same Christie’s sale. Note the much smaller size (51.5 cm).