Gallo-Roman male portrait head, marble, Roman Empire, Province of Gaul (area of modern France), 1st-3rd century after Chr.
A unique example of provincial stone sculpture from the heyday of the Roman Empire. Executed in white marble, the head depicts an individualized male portrait, a textbook example of the fusion of official Roman realism with local Gallic artistic expression. The face is characterized by a crude, geometric synthesis of form. A long, straight nose connects directly to a well-defined, severe eyebrow arch (the so-called Greco-Roman profile), giving the whole a monumental expression. The large, almond-shaped, convex eyes have no cut eyelids or pupils, which firmly places the object in post-Celtic sculptural traditions and the local votive art. The sculpture directly alludes to austere, hieratic representations of deities and heroes from the Celtic tradition.
The object is set on a contemporary metal arbor and pedestal of gray veined marble.
Dimensions: 15 cm (height) x 6 cm (width) x 8.5 cm (depth); with pedestal: 19 cm (height) x 7 cm (width) x 8.5 cm (depth)
Weight: 1357 g
Galo-rzymska głowa portretowa mężczyzny, marmur, Cesarstwo Rzymskie, Prowincja Galia (teren współczesnej Francji), II-III w. po Chr.
Ganesha, marble, India, 19th century.
Full-plastic sculpture depicting the god Ganesha - one of the most important deities of the Hindu pantheon, removing all obstacles and patronizing new beginnings. The deity is shown in the traditional hieratic seated position of the Lalitasana type (position of royal relaxation), in which the bent, left leg rests flat and the right leg is lowered down, resting with the foot on the ground. This arrangement in Indian iconography symbolizes the perfect balance between the spiritual world and earthly activity. The figure is characterized by a rounded belly signifying prosperity and abundance. The entire composition is set on an integral, massive plinth (base) with an austere rectangular design. The right hand is raised in the symbolic gesture of abhaya mudra (a gesture of care and dispelling of fear). In his left hand resting on his knee, the deity holds the traditional modaka sweet, which is his attribute. This is the deity's favorite sweet and symbolizes the supreme sweetness of spiritual enlightenment, pure wisdom and the inner joy that awaits a person after overcoming all of life's obstacles and one's own ego. Ganesha's head is crowned by a tall mukut-type crown with a radial linear ornament, and the structure is capped by a large nimbus merged with the throne backrest. The sculpture has a damaged nimbus, trunk and part of the face.
Dimensions: 22.5 cm (height) x 15.5 cm (width) x 8 cm (depth)
Weight: 2.9 kg
Ganesha, marble, India, 19th century.
A semi-plastic sculpture depicting Ganesha, a Hindu deity with an elephant's head, a human body and two pairs of hands. According to Hindu mythological accounts, one of his tusks was to be used as a stylus to write down sacred texts or chopped off by Parashurama during a conflict with the deity; this motif is interpreted as a symbol of sacrifice and Ganesha's connection to knowledge and science. However, the sculpture on display also lacks a second tusk, probably due to past damage. The deity's head is crowned with a diadem, and the entire figure is depicted against a smooth, semicircular wall (stele). Ganesha is seated on the pedestal in a cross-legged seated position, with one pair of hands resting on her knees and the other raised to shoulder height. In her raised hands she holds elongated attributes (in traditional iconography these include a noose and an elephant hook). He has a prominent belly, which symbolizes prosperity. At the foot of his seat is placed a small ball, interpreted as the traditional modaka sweet. This is the deity's favorite sweet and symbolizes the supreme sweetness of spiritual enlightenment, pure wisdom and the inner joy that awaits a person after overcoming all of life's obstacles and his own ego. The overall design is characterized by compactness and schematicism of representation - both the silhouette and details have been treated in a simplified manner.
Dimensions: 29 cm (height) x 16.5 cm (width) x 6 cm (depth)
Weight: 5.7 kg
Head of an angel (?), sandstone, France, ca. 1300
The Gothic full-figure sculpture depicting a head, most likely an angel, was created in the circle of Parisian sculpture around 1300. The face with a calm expression and idealized features, surrounded by curls supported by a band, fits the type of depictions characteristic of French sculpture of the time of Philippe the Beautiful (1285-1314). The style, which spread in the 14th century, is sometimes referred to as "court style." Sculpture with traces of polychromy, damage and traces of surface erosion. Made of sandstone, it was originally most likely part of a full-figure representation. It most likely had a sacred function.
Head of an Angel (Putta), gilded linden wood, Poland, 1st half of the 18th century.
Baroque carving depicting the head of a winged angel (putto). The object, dated to the first half of the 18th century, is an excellent example of ancient sacred woodcarving. The styling of the "puckered" face, the deeply carved, almost graphic curls and the way the wings are worked out are very similar to the works of prominent Silesian sculptors, such as Johann Georg Urbansky and the workshop of Matthäus Knote. The sculpture is slightly curved, which means that it was designed to be mounted on a rounded structure, such as an altar column, cornice or the curve of an organ prospectus. The number "6" engraved on the back is a typical mounting mark. This confirms that the angel was part of a large, multi-element work, at which craftsmen numbered the parts to know where to mount them. A sculpture of high workshop qualities, dated 1720-1740, it represents the North Central European Baroque trend, showing features characteristic of the borderlands of Silesia and Malopolska. Preserved in original condition. Visible natural patina of time, losses of wood on the wings and paint layer and gilding, which add to the sculpture's character and confirm its age. The wood is sound, with traces of old woodcarving tools visible.
Krishna, marble, India, 19th century.
A marble sculpture depicting Krishna in the form of Venu-Gopala, the divine shepherd playing the flute. The figure of the deity is depicted in the classical Indian canon of beauty known as Tribhanga (the triple bend of the body). The lines of the hips, chest, and neck form a dynamic, S-shaped curve. Krishna stands with his legs crossed at the ankles, resting his weight on his left foot while his right foot rests on its toes, which lends the composition a sense of lightness and grace. The hands are raised in front of the torso and were originally positioned to hold a flute. The deity’s face has a serene expression, with a gentle smile and almond-shaped eyes typical of traditional Indian iconography. The head is crowned with a tall crown adorned with a peacock feather motif (Mayur Pankh), one of Krishna’s most important attributes. The figure is dressed in a dhoti with schematically rendered folds. Two long, decorative garlands hang around the neck, one reaching the hips and the other the knees. These may represent a simplified depiction of the vaijayantimāli—a long floral garland traditionally associated with Vishnu and his avatar Krishna. The back of the figure is rendered in a more simplified manner, indicating that the object was intended to be placed directly against the altar wall or in a wall niche.
Dimensions: 40 cm (height) x 15 cm (width) x 8.5 cm (depth)
Weight: 4.1 kg
Krishna, marble, India, 19th century.
The sculpture depicts a full-figure image of the god Krishna in his most iconic, pastoral manifestation as Wenu-Gopal (playing the flute). The figure of the deity is framed in the classical Indian beauty canon of Tribhanga (triple bend of the body axis). The lines of the hips, chest and neck form a dynamic sigmoidal line. Krishna stands with her legs crossed at the ankles, resting her body weight on her left foot, while her right foot supports herself on her toes, giving the composition lightness and grace. The front and sides of the figure were developed with attention to the spatiality of pleats and jewelry. The back of the figure, the buttocks and the back of the halo are flat, crude and developed synthetically. This indicates that the object was intended to be placed directly against the altar wall or in a wall niche. The deity's face exudes serenity, with characteristic almond-shaped eyes and a gentle smile. The head is crowned with a high crown, which in the front part has preserved fragments of the original thick flake gilding. A tall peacock feather (Mayur Pankh) is carved on the left side of the crown. The head is surrounded by a monolithic, serrated nimbus. The deity is clad in a traditional, thickly creased dhoti, fastened at the hips with an ornamental belt with floral rosette motifs. A long, carved sash is slung across her back and shoulders.
Dimensions: 44 cm (height) x 14 cm (width) x 8 cm (depth)
Weight: 4.75 kg