A buff sandstone figure of Kubera
5th/6th century; ”c Eo Region, Vietnam
Seated in royal ease, the tail of his dhoti visible from the back, holding his bag of riches against his knee, his rounded forms sensitively modeled, the serene face with large eyes beneath gracefully arched eyebrows flanked by pendulous earlobes, his head crowned with an ushnisha with his long hair flowing behind
18.5" H x 12.25" W x 8.5" D
Provenance: Private Collection, United Kingdom, acquired in Bathe, ”c-Eo, Vietnam in the early 1900s, thence by descent
Christie's South Kensington, June 16, 1994, lot 173
Christie's New York, "Himalayan, Indian and South East Asian Art," Mar 15, 2017, lot 247
The Collection of Walter and Nesta Spink, Ann Arbor, MI, acquired from the above

Other Notes: ”c Eo was part of the Funan kingdom that flourished in the Mekong Delta between the first and sixth centuries. By the third or fourth century, a 43-mile-long road connected ”c Eo to Angkor Borei, situating it between the flourishing Khmer Empire, and important international maritime trade routes accessible by the Mekong River. Due to this strategic location, ”c Eo became the economic and cultural center of the Mekong Delta, drawing traders and artists to this hotbed of cultural exchange to experience the wealth of foreign influences from all over South and Southeast Asia, including India. This "crossroads of Southeast Asia" stimulated a flourishing of the local artistic idiom.

Superficial wear overall, consistent with material and age. Condition reports are offered as a courtesy and are typically published in Moran's catalogue or can be made available upon request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of others. Buyers are responsible for determining to their own satisfaction the true nature and condition of any lot prior to bidding. Though buyers are not legally required to inspect lots prior to purchase, failure to do so may constitute a waiver of complaint that an item was not delivered in a condition equal to the existent condition at the auction.