Brahma, marble, India, 19th (?) century.
A marble sculpture depicting Brahma, the Hindu creator god and personification of cosmic wisdom, belonging to the Trimurti trinity alongside Vishnu and Shiva. The object was hand-carved in gray marble and represents a simplified iconographic form in which Brahma is shown with three faces, instead of the traditional four .
The figure is depicted seated, with a sphere held in his hand, interpreted as a symbol of the earth or the entire cosmos, and refer to the act of creation and the order of the world.
Due to the limited worship of Brahma in India and the small number of temples dedicated to him, sculptural representations of this deity are rare, making the object particularly interesting. The sculpture is in very good condition.
Christ Crucified, wood, Spain (Pyrenees?), 12th-13th century.
The sculpture impresses with the pronounced rigidity of the body, typical of early Roman depictions. The calm yet poignant expression of Christ's face is emphasized by huge, forward-facing eyes set in deep eye sockets.
His gaze, however, is slightly lowered, emphasized by a prominent nose and large, spreading ears that frame his face. His hair falls symmetrically on his shoulders; a peculiar hairstyle draws attention - the hair, separated by a parting on top of the head, is arranged in rollers covered with densely diagonal cuts. Very similarly arranged hair, resembling braids, has the famous statue of Christ of Mig Aran, located in the church of Sant Miquèu de Vielha (Val d'Aran valley). The beard and mustache end in artificial, volute curls.
Saint John the Evangelist, late Gothic wooden sculpture, ca. 1500
Full-plastic sculpture depicting St. John the Evangelist , made of wood, dated around 1500. The figure is shown in counterpoint, with a slightly bowed head and entwined hands holding a book - an attribute of the Evangelist. The sculpture is preserved in its original polychrome, with a visible structure of pigment layers and natural cracking of the wood.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
The work may have been part of a winged altarpiece (retabulum), most likely in the Crucifixion group.
Sculpture of a god’s head (Zeus or Hercules), marble, Mediterranean basin, Hellenistic period
Monumental sculpture depicting the head of a bearded god, probably Zeus. The hair and beard form wavy, loose curls; a long mustache descends on the sides and frames the closed mouth. The face has a serious, focused expression, with a slightly flattened nose and furrowed brows. The eyes are carefully modeled, with a distinct upper eyelid, without marked pupils. The sculpture is made of white marble. The piece dates from the Hellenistic period in Greece, circa 300–200 BC.
Singa Barong, polychrome wood, Indonesia, 19th century.
A striking polychrome wood sculpture depicting Singa Barong - a mythical winged lion, known from Balinese and Javanese traditions. The creature is shown in a watchful position, sitting on an ornate base with its mouth open and teeth bared. The figure's appearance is completed by its distinctive bulging eyes, curled tail and mane. Its body is covered with linear motifs resembling tattoos, its breast is adorned with a wide necklace and its front paws with bracelets. The sculpture was most likely associated with a protective function, both in temple and domestic spaces.
St. Augustine reliquary with Ex Ossibus relic, polychrome wood, gilded, Italy, 18th century.
An expressive figural sculpture depicting a half-figure of St. Augustine in episcopal vestments, with a heart in his hand. The sculpture is the finial of a console in which was placed a relic of the first class (Ex Ossibus), described "S. Augustini", protected by an intact church seal. The work of polychrome and gilded wood, made in the 18th century, in an Italian workshop, representing a good artistic level.