Ancient Indian art works on Christie`s sale

New Delhi: Global auction house Christie`s will unveil over 200 rare works of Asian and South Asian art that include ancient bronze and stone sculptures and Indian miniatures for a sale Sep 16 at the Rockefeller Gallery in New York.The highlight of the lots on sale will be a collection of works from Paul E Manheim`s private collection and Buddhist thangkas from the collection of the ninth Dalai Lama in Tibet, said a press statement issued from New York Thursday. Manheim (1906-1999), a rare early American collector of Asian art, was a partner in the Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers. For over two decades, the collector was one of the fundamental contributors to the Brooklyn Museum, helping it expand its Indian and South Asian collection. A rare silver bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara - the Buddhist deity - from the Kashmir School in western Tibet dated 10th/11th century, sourced from the Manheim collection, is expected to fetch USD250,000 at the sale. The deity, clad in a dhoti, is shown holding a lotus stem of an eight petal lotus. The Manheim collection also includes an important black granite of the Nandi bull from south India, dating back to the Chola period in the 13th century. It is estimated to fetch USD150,000. A 15th century bronze bust of Buddha from Thailand and a 16th century sandstone figure of Vishnu from Nepal are expected to go under the hammer respectively for USD35,000 and USD15,000. The sale also includes a fine selection of Himalayan bronzes, such as a large important gilt bronze figure of 16th century Atisha, a monk, from Tibet estimated at USD350,000. The figure, seated in `dhyanasana`, is accompanied by an elaborate inscription on the reverse describing contents of the consecration. The cover lot of the sale is an important set of seven thangkas of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and his lineage from Tibet estimated at USD350,000. The thangkas were commissioned by the followers of the ninth Dalai Lama, Lungtok Gyatso, to celebrate his lineage. The scrolls combine motifs from both central Tibet and Kham painting from the Chamdo region. The sale also comprises a group of Indian miniatures including a painting of "The Annunciation" from the erstwhile kingdom of Oudh in the second half of the 18th century, priced at USD30,000. It shows a kneeling virgin Mary with archangel Gabriel. A large 19th century Kalighat painting of Krishna is estimated to fetch USD20,000. IANS