A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF PARVATI WITH GANESHA, SKANDA, AND BRAHMA, CHANDELA PERIOD, 10TH-11TH CENTURY

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A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF PARVATI WITH GANESHA, SKANDA, AND BRAHMA, CHANDELA PERIOD, 10TH-11TH CENTURY Expert’s note While Parvati is typically revered in her gentle, maternal role as the consort of Shiva, the present sculpture depicts her in the powerful martial aspect of Durga. Standing commandingly with one foot raised upon her lion and accompanied by her sons Ganesha and Skanda, as well as Brahma, she unites the maternal identity of Parvati with the formidable power of the warrior goddess. The lion symbolizes her complete mastery over untamed forces and the ego, while her triumphant bearing expresses the power of divine femininity (shakti) to overcome disorder and restore cosmic balance. Central India, Madhya Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh. Superbly carved with the four-armed goddess Parvati standing in a heroic stance with one leg raised upon a lion, supported on a rectangular base, her principal left hand lowered and clutching one of the festoons suspended from her belt, while the secondary right hand is raised holding a scepter with fluted globular finial. The goddess is clad in a diaphanous dhoti secured by an elaborate jeweled girdle and richly adorned with beaded necklaces, armlets, bracelets, anklets, and long garlands falling across the body. Her face is superbly modeled with elongated almond-shaped eyes, elegantly arched brows, a slender nose, and full bow-shaped lips, framed by her large hoop earrings and elaborate foliate headdress centered by a kirtimukha. The goddess is accompanied by Brahma, seated upon a lotus in the upper register, while her sons Ganesha and Skanda stand beside her. Ganesha is depicted with his characteristic elephant head, while Skanda appears as a youthful princely figure. Dimensions: Height 104 cm Beginning in the 9th century, the Chandelas rose to power in the region of Khajuraho in Bundelkhand shifting the suzerainty once held by their ruling neighbors, the Gurjara-Pratiharas. Like other feudatories in North India, the Chandelas capitalized on the weakening position of the Gurjara-Pratiharas, establishing their own principality in the region up until their own downfall in the 13th century. Asserting their divine origins and dynastic name after Chandra, the ancient god of the moon, the Chandelas flourished as a rich and vibrant culture whose kings actively tended to the arts, poetry, and civic projects. Their most notable contributions encompass a legacy of harmoniously integrated sculpture within their architectural designs, almost all exclusively dedicated to religious ends. The present lot is a significant example of the Chandela legacy. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related sandstone relief depicting Shiva’s Family, Haryana or Uttar Pradesh, dated circa mid-10th century, 85.7 cm high, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number M.75.11. Compare a closely related sandstone stele of Sarasvati, Uttar Pradesh, dated 10th-11th century, 71.2 cm high, in the Walters Art Museum, accession number 25.50. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 24 March 2026, lot 844 Price: USD 217,600 or approx. EUR 189,000 converted at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar striding pose and beaded jewelry. Compare also the similar composition with a large multi-armed figure surrounded by smaller ones. Note the size (95.3 cm) and Buddhist subject. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s New York, 20 March 2009, lot 1268 Price: USD 52,500 or approx. EUR 71,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar beaded jewelry. Note the size (67.3 cm).

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