11th Oct, 2025 10:00

Auction 24

 
  Lot 26
 
Lot 26 - BULLHEADED KASHMIR STONE 12TH CENTURY

26

BULLHEADED KASHMIR STONE 12TH CENTURY

Dimensions: Height 9,5 cm Wide 6,5 cm Depth 3 cm

Weight: 241 grams

Carved from dark grey stone, the figure is shown seated on a tiered base in lalitāsana, with the legs bent and the arms holding ritual attributes, possibly a club and a fruit or offering. The deity is distinguished by a bovine head with prominent snout, large ears, and crowned headdress. A beaded necklace adorns the chest, while the body is rendered with a strong, compact modeling typical of Kashmiri sculpture of the medieval period. Lion flank the base, reinforcing the protective character of the image.

Bull-headed deities are uncommon in Kashmiri stone sculpture and may represent Dharmapāla figures of hybrid form, guardians of the cosmic order, or syncretic manifestations blending local cult imagery with Hindu-Buddhist iconography. The style, with its geometric treatment of drapery folds, rounded torso, and distinctive physiognomy, situates the work within the 12th-century Kashmiri sculptural idiom.

Sold for €375