Country Group: South and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam)

Item id: 7414

An authentic solid-cast Indian "Pala" period sitting bull. From a well know Southern California collection, you are unlikely to encounter another anytime in the near future. Real sensitivity to the sculpting-you can especiall see it in the face. This rare survivor is close to 1000 years old. NOTE- this piece was formerly in the collection of Samuel Eilenberg. Dr. Eilenberg amassed one of America's great collections of South and Southeast Asian bronzes in the 20th century, and it is his collection that created a significant core of the S.E. Asian section at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The thing I love about his collection there is a very good book show casing his collection plus I have owned a half dozen small pieces from his collection that were auctioned off in the 1990's) is that he collected small as well as large, folk as well as classic. He had an eye for small pieces like this one that are not great in scale or fancy in adornment, but they show great personality and exemplify what makes their period and type so special.

This is a piece that really makes you want to hold it in your hands.