Lot 578
11th C. Indian Solanki Marble Vishnu Stele with Inscription
11th C. Indian Solanki Marble Vishnu Stele with Inscription
Starting Bid: $4,500
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South Asia, India, Rajasthan or Gujarat, Solanki (Chaulukya) or Paramara period., ca. 900 - 1199 CE. A rare and finely preserved devotional stele, this four-armed Vishnu stands in rigid samabhanga atop a tiered octagonal pitha, commanding a carved architectural cosmos that condenses an entire temple facade into a single luminous slab of pale cream marble. He rises with the absolute composure of one who has, after all, already saved the world several times and sees no reason to look hurried about it. Four arms extend from the broad shoulders, the lower forearms and upper hands now lost, though the canonical Vaishnava configuration of chakra and shankha in the upper pair, varada and abhaya in the lower, can be reliably inferred from the surviving stumps and the unbroken conventions of the tradition. A long vanamala garland descends the length of his torso, the signature adornment of Vishnu that distinguishes his icons from those of his solar and martial counterparts. Size: 13.8" W x 25.5" H x 5.1" D (35.1 cm W x 64.8 cm H x 13.0 cm D)
The god is dressed with the concentrated luxury of western Indian court sculpture at its height. Layered necklaces descend across his broad bare chest, a broad patka cascades over an elaborately incised dhoti, and armlets and wristbands articulate each limb. The face is full-cheeked and serene in the manner of mature Solanki workshop production, eyes slightly lidded beneath a stacked cylindrical kiritamukuta crown from which flanking avatamasaka pendants fall to the shoulders. Articulated bare feet rest with quiet authority upon the lotus pedestal, each toe carved with individual care.
The surrounding prabhavali is rendered in concentric bands of radiating petals and flame-points, enclosed within a trefoil torana arch whose foliate fringe terminates in a kirtimukha face at the apex. Flanking the arch, perforated jali screens in diamond and square patterns invoke the vocabulary of Solanki temple architecture in miniature. The lateral registers are populated with subsidiary figures, likely members of the Vaishnava retinue, standing or crouching in animated postures within pillared niches and miniature palace facades. At the deity's feet, two small kneeling figures - perhaps Jaya and Vijaya, Vishnu's eternal gatekeepers, or the personified Shankha-purusha and Chakra-purusha - bow in perpetual attendance. Standing female figures with elaborate coiffures and emphatic tribhanga postures occupy the outer flanks, their ornamental vitality characteristic of western Indian apsara carving of the 11th to 12th centuries.
The multi-tiered projecting pedestal bears a donative inscription in medieval Nagari script distributed across several panels, recording in stone what was almost certainly a Vikrama Samvat date, a donor name, and the deity consecrated. The reverse is rough-dressed and uncarved, confirming the stele's original function as a wall-set image within a temple shrine. Pending expert transliteration, the inscription carries genuine potential to anchor this exceptional object to a specific year, patron, and place of origin - a documentary precision rare in works of this caliber that reach the Western market.
Provenance: private Pasadena, California, USA collection; ex-private Los Angeles, California, USA estate collection, formed between 1970 and 2000
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Item #
202511
- Condition: Losses to arms, hands, nose, and chest. Chipping, rubbing, and abrasions in areas, commensurate with age. Otherwise, nice presentation with good remaining detail.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $749 | $25 |
| $750 | $1,499 | $50 |
| $1,500 | $2,999 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $7,499 | $250 |
| $7,500 | $14,999 | $500 |
| $15,000 + | $1,000 |