Christie’s Londres dédommage des clients pour ne pas avoir reconnu un Titien

Titien (et son atelier ?) - Salomé et la tête de St Jean-Baptiste (c. 1570) - Koelliker Collection, Milan

LONDRES – Les anciens propriétaires d’un tableau qui s’est avéré être de la main du Titien sont sur le point de recevoir un dédommagement de la part de Christie’s Londres, qui l’avait attribué à l’école de l’artiste.

David Dickson et sa sœur Susan Priestley ont poursuivi Christie’s pour « violation de devoir » et « négligence » du personnel qui a échoué dans ses compétences « recherche et conseil » sur la valeur de la peinture.

En 1993, le tableau représentant Salomé tenant la tête de saint Jean-Baptiste – retrouvé dans la maison familiale – a été proposé à la vente chez Christie’s Londres. Les experts l’ont reconnu comme étant de l’école du Titien mais probablement pas de la main du maître lui-même. Le tableau est vendu en décembre 1994 pour 8000 livres (son prix de réserve).

En 2001, il devient la propriété d’un collectionneur privé installé à Milan, Luigi Koelliker, qui décide de le nettoyer. Le tableau révèle alors sa vraie valeur. Il est bien de la main du Titien et a appartenu à Charles Ier d’Angleterre – le chiffre du roi a été découvert au revers du tableau et l’inventaire de 1649 du Hampton Court Palace le confirme.

Or, lors de la première expertise, Christie’s avait déclaré que le nettoyage de la toile serait « une dépense inutile » même si la maison de vente avait établi que l’œuvre méritait d’être étudiée et qu’elle était peut-être une « épave d’un original ». Une lettre envoyée avant la vente de 1993 confirme le doute de l’attribution.

La toile a depuis participé à de nombreuses expositions sur le Titien dont celle en 2004 à la National Gallery d’Edimbourg et plus récemment à Venise et Vienne où il était présenté comme du « Titien et de son atelier ».

En janvier 2009, le catalogue de la vente de la collection de M. Koelliker décrit l’œuvre comme un « tableau remarquable » et qu’il « rassemble toutes les qualités du style tardif de l’artiste » dans les années 1570. Le tableau ne trouve cependant pas d’acquéreur mais est estimé entre 2,6 et 4 millions de livres.

Une audience devait avoir lieu auprès de la Cour Suprême, mais après de longues négociations les deux parties sont parvenues à un accord à l’amiable. Les termes de l’accord restent cependant confidentiels. www.artclair.com

Ionna Vautrin, "Moaïs" @ Galerie Tools

Ionna Vautrin, Moaïs, 2010. Collection de luminaires à poser ou à suspendre établie à partir de 5 formes différentes. Polycarbonate. Courtesy Tools © N. Aristidou

Chaque modèle présenté chez Tools est constitué de dix feuilles de polycarbonate et de dix "peignes" en aluminium peint ou anodisé. Seul élément indépendant, la base conique en aluminium roulé noir des lampes à poser se décline en trois hauteurs.

A l'origine, la designer s'est avant tout intéressée à la dimension constructive du projet. Elle cherche à réaliser un objet facile à monter, à partir d'éléments plats, un objet qui passe de la 2D au volume, comme si on soufflait dans un ballon. Très vite après l'esquisse d'un principe hyper rationnel, l'outil informatique entre dans le processus de création. Il permet la réalisation des maquettes qui viendront vérifier la validité des intuitions. Avec l'usage des logiciels, la forme se libère peu à peu de la symétrie de départ le dessin se complexifie. Les contours de chaque pièce, l'élément de jonction (le peigne) comme les développés des dix morceaux en polycarbonate, dépendent des calculs de la machine. Tout comme le placement à intervalle régulier des trous dans lesquels s'insèrent les dents de chacun des peignes. De cette précision mathématique naissent des forment organiques, certaines blanches, d'autres recouvertes de motifs sérigraphiés. Pour Ionna Vautrin, créer un un motif est une manière d'habiller un objet, de lui donner un caractère, une épaisseur supplémentaire. Elle propose ici un dessin d'inspiration japonisante.

Les suspensions, elles, ont quelque chose du lampion chinois. renversées sur des socles, elles évoquent des visages voire des sortes de totem. Pour sa première exposition personnelle, Ionna Vautrin joue avec jubilation sur la combinaison : forme/tytpologie/couleru/motis et nous offre des présences lumineuses et amicales dont l'apparente évidence cache une mise en oeuvre de haute précision.

26 janv.-27 mars 2010. Galerie Tools. www.toolsgalerie.com

Lina Prokofieff, Poetico @ I-Gallery, Paris

Lina Prokofieff, The Girl with a mask, 2007. Photographie couleur. 34x34 cm. © Lina Prokofieff.

A l'époque du numérique, Lina Prokofieff ne néglige pas la technique traditionnelle et son large choix de formats. La couleur et le noir et blanc ont une même place dans son travail, bien que souvent ce soient les notions de lumière et d'ombre qui l'emportent sur celles de la couleur ou de la monochromie.

L'essentiel est de communiquer au spectateur un instant vu et ressenti par tout son être. La photographe qui est aussi souvent son propre modèle, cherche à explorer tout ce que la photographie a à offrir pour l'introspection et la compréhension du genre humain, bercé d'une certaine mélancolie et nostalgie de l'instant d'avant.

«Poetico» est la deuxième exposition personnelle de Lina Prokofieff, qui résonne comme une continuité de la première exposition, «Visions Fugitives», présentée à Moscou du 14 novembre au 20 décembre 2009.
La photographie The girl with a Mask a remporté en 2008 le 2e prix du Concours international de photographie «The International Color Awards» dans la catégorie «Portrait».


Poetico est le titre de la dix-septième pièce du cycle Visions Fugitives de Serge Prokofiev.

01 mars-10 mars 2010. I-Gallery. www.i-gallery.fr

Bague en or avec intaille en cornaline gravée d'une fourmi. Italie, époque romaine

Bague en or avec intaille en cornaline gravée d'une fourmi. Italie, époque romaine

3,6 g - Estimation : 300 / 500 CHF

Vente Hôtel des ventes de Genève. Archéologie. Mercredi 10 mars 2010. Pour tout renseignement, veuillez contacter la maison de ventes au +41 22 320 11 77

A very rare imperially inscribed small guanyao vase. Southern Song/Yuan dynasty, 13th century

A very rare imperially inscribed small guanyao vase. Southern Song/Yuan dynasty, 13th century. Photo Christie's Image Ltd 2010

Of tapering pear shape raised on a tall foot, covered overall with a thick crackled glaze of bluish-grey tone thinning on the edges of the lug handles, the foot rim left unglazed revealing the dark greyish-brown ware, the base finely inscribed with an imperial poem praising its charm and essence, followed by a Qianlong cyclical bingxu date, corresponding to the summer of 1766, and one seal reading guxiang (ancient fragrance) - 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) high - Est. $120,000 - $200,000

Provenance: Stephen Junkunc, III.

Notes: This charming small hu vase is of exactly the type that appealed to the Chinese taste for miniature pieces. This taste found its greatest imperial expression in the Qianlong reign when selected small antique items from the imperial collections were put into ingeniously constructed 'treasure boxes', duobaoge, literally box of many treasures. Some of these boxes were specially made for the purpose, while others were adapted from antique boxes in the palace. A small Guan ware hu vase very similar to the current vessel is amongst the forty-seven precious items from Qianlong's collection, which were kept in specially constructed separate compartments within a square zitan box carved with dragons, preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, and illustrated in Emperor Ch'ien-lung's Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei, 2002, pp. 52-3, no. I-41. These treasure boxes were organized in three different ways. One type was made to contain items that belonged to a single category, such as the round black lacquer box decorated with gold in the Palace Museum, Beijing, which held forty small jade items, illustrated in Qing Legacies: The Sumptuous Art of Imperial Packaging, Macau, 2000, p. 118, no. 40, or the carved zitan box made to hold sixteen snuff bottles in the same collection, illustrated ibid., p. 162, no. 65. Other treasure boxes opened to reveal groups of small display shelves and stands holding miniature items in a variety of materials. The current small vase might have been displayed in a box of this sort, or in a box of the third sort with individual compartments, like the zitan dragon box in the National Palace Museum, mentioned above, which contained a similar vase.

On the base of the current vase is a poetic inscription which is also recorded in Qing Gaozong yuzhi shiwen quanji (Anthology of Imperial Poetry and Prose Composed by Gaozong [Qianlong] of the Qing Dynasty), Beijing, 1993, p. 208. It is recorded with the title 'Ode [literally 'chant' in Chinese] to a Guan ware two-eared hu vase'. The inscription may be translated as reading:

'Appraising this vase as if looking at Yue ware or Ru ware
It is not classically beautiful or perfect but it has great charm.
Like the paintings of the great masters Ni and Huang
It is not made simply in the pursuit of beauty but of capturing an essence.
Imperial poem, composed in the summer of the bingxu year of the Qianlong reign [AD 1766]'.
The inscription on the vase is followed by a seal, guxiang.
The Ni and Huang referred to in this inscription are artists, regarded as two of the four great Yuan masters - Ni Zan (AD 1301-74) and Huang Gongwang (AD 1269-1354).

Larger vases of this hu form tend to have two encircling raised lines indicating a band at the height of the tubular handles. However, this feature is absent from the current vase and from the small Guan ware hu in Qianlong's treasure box, mentioned above. Two more small vases of this form without any indicated band are published. One of these, now in the Zhejiang Provincial Museum where it is classified as imperial Guan ware, is illustrated in Green Wares from Zhejiang, Fung Ping Shan Museum, Hong Kong, 1993, no. 65. The other is illustrated by Yamanaka & Co. in Grand Exhibition of Ancient Chinese and Corean Works of Art, Tokyo, 1934, fig. 19, where it is designated Ge ware. Both of these latter vases are just a little larger than the current vessel and the small vase in the National Palace Museum, and have the vestiges of a raised line running vertically from mouth to foot.

Even with its small size, the current vase is notable for the thickness, translucency and pleasing color of its glaze, as well as control of the glaze crackle. This is exactly the sort of skillfully made miniature vase, with a form inspired by antique bronzes, that would have appealed to the Qianlong emperor.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Including Property from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. 26 March 2010. New York, Rockefeller www.christies.com

Portfolio : "Eat The Rich" by Oliver Schwarzwald

Photo Oliver Schwarzwald (www.oliverschwarzwald.de)

Nobuyoshi Araki, "Araki: A Perspective" @ PRISM

Nobuyoshi Araki, Colorscapes, 1991. C print, 40 x 30 inches (101.6 x 76.2 cm). Photo: Courtesy Prism.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA.- PRISM, LA’s exciting new addition to the art landscape, is pleased to present it’s sophomore show, “Araki: A Perspective,” a collection of works by world renowned Japanese photographer, Nobuyoshi Araki. The exhibition will feature approximately 70 works by Araki, whose thought provoking photography has garnered international acclaim and stirred up controversy around the globe. Guests are invited to PRISM for a private preview of “Araki: A Perspective” on March 6th at 6:00PM. Nobuyoshi Araki’s works will be on display from March 6th – May 9th.

Nobuyoshi Araki is Japan’s most notable & controversial photographer. Based primarily in Tokyo, Araki documents what he sees in the streets, exploring the various themes that exist in the city. With over 450 photography books to his name, Araki has explored a wide variety of topics, most notably the love of his wife, Yoko in his most recognizable series, “Yoko, My Love.” This raw and intimate work features his wife in prolific and compromising positions. Araki has also done commercial work, recently photographing music sensation Lady Gaga for Vogue Hommes Japan, in his signature “bondage style” poses. On his technique, Araki explains, “what’s important in my work is always the relationship between me and the object - - it’s a kind of love story. I don’t concern myself with why a relationship starts or where it goes. The most important thing is just the relationship between the two of us at that moment. This world becomes our world.”

PRISM, located on Sunset Boulevard, is housed in a three story architectural space on the western end of the Sunset Strip. The mission of the project space is to become a cornerstone of artistic experimentation, carving a new niche for the arts here in Southern California. The long-term exhibition program, featuring national and international artists, promises to be vibrant and thought-provoking as it works with creative minds to cultivate a challenging and diverse aesthetic experience for the public. The space will also look to integrate lectures and film viewings to create a well-rounded multidisciplinary venue. Alongside the exhibition space, the project space will also house a bookshop with a curated selection of texts and products.

Nobuyoshi Araki, From Close to Range (diptych), 1991/2007, Black and White print. Each image 60 x 40 inches (152.4 x 101.5 cm). Photo: Courtesy Prism.

“Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt” @ The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia

Colossal Head of Caesarion, Alexandria, 1st century BCE, Granodiorite. H. 2.6 ft / W. 1.9 ft / D. 1.6 ft. © Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation. Photo: Christoph Gerigk.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- The world of Cleopatra, which has been lost to the sea and sand for nearly 2,000 years, will surface in a new exhibition, “Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt,” making its world premiere in June 2010 at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International, with cooperation from the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), the exhibition will feature more than 250 artifacts, and take visitors inside the present-day search for Cleopatra, which extends from the sands of Egypt to the depths of the Bay of Aboukir near Alexandria.

The exhibition about the legendary queen, who remains one of history’s greatest enigmas, debuting at The Franklin Institute from June 5, 2010 – January 2, 2011, will travel to five North American cities. The Franklin Institute hosted “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,” developed by the same organizers, which became the most attended touring museum exhibition in the world in 2007 after drawing more than 1.3 million visitors.

“Philadelphia was captivated by King Tut, and we are honored to be the first choice to launch this new world premiere exhibition that promises to combine the public’s fascination with Egyptology with the allure of Egypt’s last queen. We look forward to welcoming this magnificent queen to our halls, and to be the first in the world to share with residents and visitors new discoveries from her life, which are being achieved with the help of advancing science and technology,” said Dennis Wint, president and CEO of The Franklin Institute.

Cleopatra, the last great pharaoh of Egypt before it succumbed to Roman opposition, lived from 69 – 30 B.C., and her rule was marked with political intrigue and challenges to her throne. She captivated two of the most powerful men of her day, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, as she attempted to restore Egypt to its former superpower status. Later, her Roman conquerors tried to rewrite her history and destroy all traces of her existence. Although her body has never been found, her story survives.

In “Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt,” remnants from her rule will be woven into the story of the modern-day search for her complete history and her tomb, in a dramatic setting that will incorporate high-definition multimedia and original soundscapes.

Visitors to the exhibition will be treated to an inside view of the search for Cleopatra through two ongoing expeditions by modern explorers Dr. Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s pre-eminent archaeologist and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Franck Goddio, French underwater archaeologist and director of IEASM. Goddio’s search has resulted in one of the most ambitious underwater expeditions ever undertaken, which has uncovered Cleopatra’s royal palace and two ancient cities that had been lost beneath the sea for centuries after a series of earthquakes and tidal waves.

On land, Hawass and a team of archaeologists continue to search for the tomb of the ill-fated lovers Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Never-before-seen artifacts referencing Cleopatra, excavated by Hawass’ team at Taposiris Magna in Abusir, west of Alexandria, will be featured in the exhibition.

“Queen Cleopatra has captured the hearts of people all over the world. Remembered as a beautiful, charismatic and powerful woman, many things about her life are still shrouded in mystery. In 2005, we began to search for the tomb where she was buried with her lover, Mark Antony, which we believe was in an ancient temple near Alexandria,” said Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. “So far, we have found coins, statues, and even shafts that are leading us closer to what would be one of the most important archaeological discoveries in history. I dream of the moment when we will enter this hidden tomb, and reveal secrets and treasures that have been lost for millennia. This exhibition, which includes objects found in our current excavations, will give the American people the chance to learn about our search for Cleopatra, and will share with them the magic of this fascinating queen.”

As a highlight, the exhibition will showcase artifacts from Franck Goddio’s continuing underwater search off the Mediterranean coast of Egypt, begun in 1992 and sponsored by the Hilti Foundation. Goddio’s remarkable finds will bring visitors inside his search for the lost world of Cleopatra, including remnants from the grand palace where she ruled. Visitors will also see underwater footage and photos of Goddio’s team retrieving artifacts from the ocean and bringing them to the surface for the first time in centuries.

“The aim of our work is to reveal traces of the past and bring history back to life. We are delighted to present our underwater archaeological achievements and discoveries off the coast of Egypt to the American public,” said Franck Goddio.

“Cleopatra is one of the most fascinating figures of ancient Egypt, and we are delighted to be able to share her true story with the world,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president for mission programs.

The more than 250 artifacts in the exhibition – from the smallest gold pieces and coins to colossal statues more than 15-feet tall – provide a window into Cleopatra’s story as well as the daily lives of her contemporaries, both powerful and humble. Artifacts on display will include magnificent black granite statues of a queen of Egypt dating from the Ptolemaic era in which Cleopatra ruled, which Goddio’s team pulled from the sea.

“This exhibition is conceived to leave visitors with a sense of adventure and discovery. As guests walk through her history, they will be captivated by the magic and mystery that still surrounds the life of the elusive last queen of Egypt,” said John Norman, president of Arts and Exhibitions International.

Sphinx (Ptolemy XII), Alexandria, 1st century BCE, Granodiorite, H. 2.3 ft / L. 4.9 ft. © Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation, Photo: Jerome Delafosse.

Spring Blooms at Christie's Japanese and Korean Art Sale

A rare and important blue and white porcelain jar, Joseon Dynasty (18th century), 19 5/16in. (49cm.) high; 14 15/16in. (38cm.) diameter. Estimate: $500,000-700,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

NEW YORK, NY.- On March 24, Christie’s will offer Japanese and Korean Art, which will include over 160 traditional and modern works of art. The Japanese section of the sale will feature a noteworthy group of paintings of beauty and the erotic, and the Korean section will offer an exquisite group of ceramics and an array of classical to contemporary paintings.

Japanese Art
Leading the sale is an enchanting pair of six-panel screens entitled Cherry Blossoms at Mount Yoshino by an anonymous artist (16th-17th century) (estimate: $350,000-400,000). The charming panorama of delicately painted white blossoms and gold-leaf clouds unfolds over the two screens with the Yoshino River in the foreground. Though there is no narrative or any architecture present, the stunning landscape of Yoshino has been praised by generations of poets and artists over many centuries.

Anonymous (16th-17th Century), Cherry blossoms at Mount Yoshino. Pair of six-panel screens; ink, color, gold and gold leaf on paper, 57½ x 137in. (146 x 348cm.) each (2). Estimate : $350,000 - $400,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

A superb selection of Japanese erotic art by Utamaro, Hosukai and Kyosai, three of the most prolific artists in Japanese history, will be offered. Utamakura (Poem of the Pillow) by Kitagawa Utamaro is an early, complete set and includes twelve erotic scenes that range from the tender to the terrifying (estimate: $100,000-150,000). The sale will also include Namichidori (Plovers above Waves) by Katsushika Hosukai, a famous erotic set from the 1830’s edition (estimate: $120,000-180,000); and Hell Courtesan (Jigoku dayu), a hanging scroll by Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-89) (estimate: $250,000-$300,000), a highly published and exhibited scroll that features the beautiful Hell courtesan attaining redemption with the aid from the eccentric Buddhist priest and poet Ikkyu.

Kitagawa Utamaro (1754-1806), Utamakura (Poem of the Pillow). Estimate: $100,000 - $150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), Namichidori (Plovers above Waves). Estimate : $120,000 - $180,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Kawanabe Kyosai (1831-89), Hell Courtesan (Jigoku dayu). Signed Seisei Kyosai ga, sealed Kyosai and with a demon figure. Hanging scroll; ink, color, silver and gold on silk, 58 5/8 x 27½in. (149 x 70cm). Estimate : $250,000 - $300,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Arms and armor are well represented in the sale and features a striking white and orange-laced Gomaido Gusoku with the helmet signed by Masanobu, Edo period (17th century) (estimate: $80,000-100,000) and a Bizen Katana, Kamakura Period (late 13th-early 14th century), a fine and rare work by the first Normitsu who worked in the school of Nagamitsu of Bizen province (estimate: $70,000-90,000). 

White and orange-laced gomaido gusoku. Edo period (17th century), helmet signed Masanobu. Estimate : $80,000 - $100,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

A Bizen katana. Kamakura period (late 13th-Early 14th century), Osuriage gold inlaid attribution to Norimitsu with Hon'a cursive monogram (kao) on the Omote. Estimate : $70,000 - $90,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

The sale also features several exceptional examples of contemporary tea bowls. Leading this section is an earthenware tea bowl named “Gyoin” (Imperial Seal) by Raku Kichizaemon XV (b. 1949) (estimate: $80,000-100,000). Kichizaemon XV is the current generation of the illustrious Raku family and superstar in the world of modern chanoyu, the practice of tea. He succeeded as the 15thgeneration head of the Raku lineage in Kyoto that has made tea wares for tea masters since the Momoyama period. Like his predecessors over the past four centuries, Kichizaemon XV makes tea bowls, water jars and vases, forming his wares by hand, without use of the potter's wheel and firing in a small, bellows-driven kiln.

Raku Kichizaemon XV (Mitsuhiro; b.1949). An earthenware tea bowl named "Gyoin" (Imperial seal). Estimate : $80,000 - $100,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Additional highlights include a wonderful group of Noh masks including a Muromachi period Noh mask of Yase Otoko (Emaciated Man) (estimate: $50,000-60,000) and a Noh mask of Manbi, named “Kohime” (Little Princess), Edo period (estimate: $35,000-45,000).

Noh Mask of Yase Otoko (Emaciated Man). Muromachi period (15th-16th century), attributed to Fukurai. Polychrome pigments and gesso over wood, eyes of gilt-metal; reverse inscribed in gold Fukurai saku (made by Fukurai) with attribution by Kita Shichidayu Hisayoshi (1742-1829) and with kao (cursive monogram) and another carved kao, 7½in. (19cm.) long. Estimate : $50,000 - $60,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Noh Mask of Manbi, named "Kohime" (Little Princess). Edo Period (17th century), burned seal Kodama Omi [Kodama Omi Mitsumasa (d.1704)]. Polychrome pigments and gesso over wood; burned seal on reverse Kodama Omi and carved inscription Kohime (Little Princess), 8in. (20.5cm.) long. Estimate : $35,000-45,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Korean Art
The Korean Art portion of the sale includes both ancient and contemporary pieces. Leading the group of blue and white porcelains is a rare blue and white porcelain jar, Joseon Dynasty (18th century) (estimate: $500,000-700,000). Dating to the 18th century, its amazing condition is a true testament to Korean craftsmanship. A jar of this scale and quality was probably made for the royal family and was decorated by a court painter. Other prized porcelain pieces include a large white porcelain jar and cover, Joseon Dynasty (15th century) (estimate: $400,000-450,000) and a blue and white porcelain bowl, Joseon Dynasty (19th century) (estimate: $30,000-35,000).

A Large White Porcelain Jar and A Cover. Joseon dynasty (15th century). Jar 10 1/8in. (26.3cm.) high; jar with cover 13 3/8in. (33.9cm.) high. Estimate : $400,000 - $450,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

A Blue and White Porcelain Bowl. Joseon dynasty (19th century). 4 5/16in. (10.6cm.) high; 7 3/8in. (18.9cm.) diameter. Estimate : $30,000 - $35,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Christie’s also will offer several examples of modern Korean paintings such as Park Sookeun’s Two Seated Women, 1964 (estimate: $350,000-400,000). Consigned by a private collector, the poetic work features women clothed in hanbok, or traditional Korean costume. In its original frame, the figures are simplified almost to the point of abstraction. The sale also features contemporary art including Kang Ik-Joong’s Happy Buddha H 10 H, a colorful mixed media of Buddha on wood, 2006 (estimate: $18,000-22,000); and Kim Myong Hi’s Dongja (estimate: $18,000-22,000), a large oil pastel of a young boy riding an ox, with a background of Korean Buddhist sutra verses. Additional contemporary works include Mother and Child, 1973, by Han Kisuk (estimate: $5,000-6,000), Byun Chonggon’s Mona Lisa and typewriter, 1996 (estimate: $5,000-6,000), and three paintings by Wonsook Kim with estimates ranging from $5000 to $10,000.

Park Sookeun, Two Seated Women, 1964. Estimate: $350,000-400,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Kang Ik-Joong (B. 1960), Happy Buddha H 10 H, 2006. Titled, dated and signed in blue crayon on edge H 10 H--2006 Ik-Joong Kang. Crayon and acrylic with Envirotex Lite polymer coating on curved wood, 30 5/16 x 29 7/8in. (77 x 76cm). Estimate : $18,000 - $22,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Kim Myonghi (B. 1949), Dongja (Attendant). Signed with artist's device (sun and moon). Oil pastel on chalkboard, 34 x 22in. (86.4 x 55.9cm.). Estimate : $18,000 - $22,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Han Kisuk (Robert Han; Nong) (B. 1930). Mother and child, 1973. Signed Nong and inscribed in ink on paper on verso Nong 1973 San Francisco "Mother and child" 73--9 28" x 22". Oil on canvas, 28 x 22in. (71.2 x 56cm.). Estimate : $5,000 - $6,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Byun Chonggon (B. 1948), Mona Lisa and typewriter, 1996. Signed and dated Chong Gon Byun 96 New York. Oil on canvas, framed
24 x 51 9/16in. (61 x 131cm.). Estimate : $5,000 - $6,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010.

Christie's Presents an Extensive Selection of Indian & Southeast Asian Art

A highly important mottled red sandstone head of a Jina, India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, Gupta Period, mid 5th century. Estimate: $250,000-350,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

NEW YORK, NY.- On March 23, the afternoon will be devoted to the classical works of Indian and Southeast Asian Art. Christie’s will offer an extensive selection of nearly 200 lots of sculpture, paintings, ritual objects, and works of art from India, Tibet, Nepal and Southeast Asia from the notable collections.

Leading the sale is a bronze figure of Uma, 13th/14th century, South India, Tamilnadu (estimate: $400,000-600,000). This well-cast figure of Uma, the second incarnation of Shakti as Shiva’s wife, is seated in lalitasana on a double-lotus base over a stepped plinth with beaded rims. From her jatamukuta to the datura flowers above her ears and the finely worked striations and fold of her dhoti, this bronze figure is an impressive example of South Indian craftsmanship and a very significant piece of South Indian art history.

A Bronze Figure of Uma, South India, Tamilnadu, Vijayanagara period, 13th/14th century, 18¾ in. (47.6 cm.) high. Estimate: $400,000 - $600,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

From a Private American Collection, the sale presents a highly important mottled red sandstone head of a Jina (estimate: $250,000-350,000), coming from India, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, during the Gupta period of the mid 5th century. The lack of an ushnisha, the domed protuberance at the top of the head, indicates this is a rare example of a head of a Jina, as opposed to of a Buddha, which is more commonly found. Its ovoid face, elongated eyes, crisply carved curls and long earlobes present a highly refined sculptural ideal that would forever define the iconic prototype of an enlightened being in Indian art. This sculpture evokes a spirituality manifested in aesthetic terms.

Another notable highlight is an important gilt bronze figure of Kunzang Akhor (estimate: $600,000-800,000) from 13th century Nepal. This work was commissioned by practitioners of the Bon religion, which descends from the ancient beliefs of Tibet before the arrival of Buddhism in the 8th century. The figure is one of the most significant and largest Bon sculptures of its kind, with strong modeling of the upper body and powerfully executed hands and feet featuring unusual details such as lotus flowers and finger rings.

A highly Important gilt bronze figure of Kunzang Akhor. Nepal, 13th century, 18 3/8 in. (46.7 cm.) high. Estimate : $600,000 - $800,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Additional important sculptures include a bronze figure of Balakrishna (estimate: $150,000-250,000), a depiction of the dancing, Krishna child, a popular image in South India from the 12th century, Chola period; a gilt bronze figure of Tara (estimate: $120,000-180,000) of Tibeto-Chinese origin and from the 15th century; a rare imperial gilt bronze and cloisonné figure of Amitayus (estimate: $100,000-150,000) also Tibeto-Chinese origin and from the 18th century; and a rare Khmer stone figure of Vishnu Resting on the Serpent Shesha (estimate: $35,000-50,000) executed in Baphuon style from the Angkor period, 11th century.

A bronze figure of Balakrishna. South India, Tamilnadu, Chola period, 12th century, 16½ in. (42 cm.) high. Estimate: $150,000 - $250,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

A Gilt Bronze Figure of Tara. Tibeto-Chinese, 15th century, 10½ in. (26.7 cm.) high. Estimate: $120,000 - $180,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

A rare Imperial Gilt Bronze and Cloisonné Figure of Amitayus. Tibeto-Chinese, 18th century, 13 in. (33 cm.) high. Estimate : $100,000 - $150,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010

A Rare Stone Figure Vishnu resting on the Serpent Shesha. Khmer, Baphuon Style, 11th Century, 41½ in. (105.4 cm) long. Estimate : $35,000 - $50,000. Photo: Christie's Images Ltd 2010