These two monks represent the first two of Buddha’s disciples : Maugalyana, the first for his supernatural powers and Sariputra, the second for his wisdom.

Both are wearing the ritual cloistered robe and seem to be infused by the words and the presence of the Blessed One within their inner selves. Their eyes look down on their inner contemplation whereas their perfect oval faces are lightened by the serene joy of meditation.

These sculptures are outstanding by their workmanship, their material, their richness and the emotion and the serenity that they radiate.

Art of Burma
Mandalay period
End of the 18th century

Bronze with traces of lacquer
Height : 99 cm

As early as the XIth century, the first independent Thai kingdoms settled in the Northern Thai valleys and in the Chieng Saen region. They brought into existence the most ancient, strictly Thai style images of Buddha and were skilled in expressing his beauty and his spirituality be means of bronze or stone statues.

The Blessed One can be recognized thru his usnisha, throne of his earthly wisdom, and thru the distinct elongation of his earlobes, two of his physical perfections bestowed upon him.

His eye-lids are half-closed and expressing the mind in inner contemplation. His nose is aquiline, whereas his mouth with well-defined lips lights up with a light smile under the influence of his spiritual energy and his sagacity.

This exceptional Buddha head is a rare testimony of the first Lan Na art style. It stands out not only for its workmanship but also for its strange disdainful beauty.

Art of Thailand
School of Lan Na
End of the 13^th century - beginning of the 14^th century

Bronze with dark green patina, and traces of red lacquered gilt.
Height : 46 cm

Buddha is represented here in the position of ‘Bhumisparsa-mudra’ or ‘Calling the Earth to witness his enlightenment’.

The Blessed One remains unwavering when confronted to the attacks of Mara (Death and Evil). To witness to his victory and ability to meditation upon illusion’s temptations, he touches the earth from where emerges the goddess, Buhmi, paying him homage.

A row of small loops rising up to the top of the usnisha, throne of earthly wisdom, make out his coiffure delimited to his forehead by a thin rim. He is capped by a flame, symbol of a ray of wisdom and fusion between earth and sky.

This is a masterpiece by the care granted to its workmanship and the harmony (harmony and fullness) of its dimensions.

This work of art particularly manifested by Ayutthaya style, is exceptional by its origin and the deep feeling of contemplation emanating from it.

Art of Laos
End of the 18^th century

Bronze with gilded lacquer
Height : 97 cm

Ganesh, ‘Lord of Good Fortune’, providing prosperity and fortune and ‘Destroyer of Obstacles’ of a material or spiritual order (guardian of initiatives and he, who either destroys or elicits/ calls forth hindrances), commends itself by its captivating plainness emphasized by the quality of its warm shaded sandstone.

Seated here with two hands on his knees, he is holding two of his attributes : in his right hand, his own broken tusk, and in his left, a clod of earth.

His forehead, his trunk, his small ears, or even his sole tusk are accentuated by an exceptional sharpness.

Furthermore, from this seated representation with a gracious expression, he seems to emanate : serenity, strength and protection/ safekeeping.

Faithfully observed anatomy, robust contours, rounded belly, and graceful hands are all elements bestowing on Ganesh : integrity and gentleness.

This effigy is extraordinary by its size, its origin, and its well-preserved state.

Khmer Art
Pre-Khmer period
9^th century
Beige sandstone
Height : 45 cm

An unbelievable diversity of styles and depictions, always overshadowed by a sharp sense of beauty and anatomic representations, characterizes the pre-Angkorian era.

‘Devi’ is the Sanskrit word for Goddess and inspires forth Shiva’s spouse, one of the three gods of Hinduism. Better known as Uma, ‘the Light’, she also known as Parvati, ‘She of the mountains’ or even still as Durga, ‘the Invincible’ or ‘the Warrior Goddess’.

This curvaceous goddess depicts a high and rounded bust and a waist of graceful thinness.

Sitting low on her hips, the sarong, symbolic of the Sambor Prei Kuk style, unveils his abdomen. By the absence of pleats, the sarong emphasizes the contours’ artfulness and the perfect balance of this young and voluptuous body.

This torso of Devi is exceptional by its workmanship, its lines’ grace and its beauty imbued with a disconcerting existence.

Art of Cambodia
Pre-Angkorian Period
Sambor Prei Kuk style
1st half of the 7th century

Grey-beige sandstone
Height : 80 cm

Dvaravati sculpture, heavily influenced by Indian culture, is a religious art produced between the 6^th and 11^th century. It refers to the distinct style of Buddhist art of that time and lasted throughout the centuries until the Dvaravati kingdom of Mon people was conquered by the Khmer Empire at the beginning of the 11th century.

This present standing Buddha is revealed in the gesture of argument or ‘Vitarka Mudra’, two hands placed together in front of the breast ; the tips of the thumb and fingers touch forming a circle.

He is wearing the ‘uttarasanga’, traditional monks’ robe and has drawn features and a perfect forehead. He has a plump face, downcast eyes in inner contemplation and full lips lighting up a subtle smile.

This meditative Buddha, unique and of impressive size, shines upon a peaceful existence and witnesses the art of Dvaravati.

Art of Thailand
Dvaravati style
6^th-11^th century

White crystalline dolomitic marble
Height : 139 cm

Pre-Angkorian art distinguishes itself by its styles’ and iconographies’ incredible diversity creating its richness and its originality as feminine divinities’ representations were, at the time, particularly seldom.

In Cambodia, during the 7^th and 8^th centuries, Mahishasura-Mardini best testifies to Devi’s form, goddess in Sanskrit. She is appreciated in depictions with four arms carrying in theory Vishnu’s qualities, and is capped by her mitre. Also known as ‘Durga’, ‘The Unreachable One’, she is the Divine Mother, Shiva’s wife, who killed the buffalo-demon who jeopardized Gods’ preeminence.

Only one of her qualities is, here, retained : the conch. Placed in the upper left hand, and attached to her head by a crossbeam used as a stand, this ‘sankha’ calls forth the aquatic world and symbolizes the origin of existence.

The goddess exhibits high and rounded small breasts, a thin waist, and narrow hips. Her face with full cheeks, well-drawn eyes, full lips, and dainty smile, and her slim body alike reveal youth. Nevertheless, her eyebrows’ nervous curve echoing the model’s divine might dampens this gentleness.

The sarong, large sheet of fabric of women’s clothing in South-east Asia, showing off the ankles, sits low on the hips - typical of Sambor Prei Kuk - and bears the belly. This young and sensual body’s sensitiveness is emphasized by the lack of pleats.

This is an exceptional representation of Devi by its dating, its workmanship and the expression of strength as well as youth emanating from her whole body.

Art of Cambodia
Pre-Angkorian Period
Sambor Prei Kuk style
First half of the 7^th century

Sandstone
Height : 40 cm

This bodhisattva, Avalokitesvara, ‘the Lord who looks down on the World’, is one of the most famous figures of Mahayana Buddhism. Sensitive to Men’s prayers, this being promised to the Awakening is called upon as guardian and savior of suffering humanity.

Among its portrayals, one is specific to Khmer statuary : radiant Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara. Dignified by a cosmic appearance, his torso is entirely covered by reduced representations of Buddha sitting in profound contemplation posture, legs crossed.

Eight other gods are arranged around his waist, according to the space’s directions and one on his heart.

On the entirety of his torso and half of his back, the miniature Buddhas design a never-ending belt, literarily shimmering his entire inner Being.

This is an extraordinary work piece of exceptional beauty by its workmanship, its well-preserved state, its size and its existence emanating from it.

The Master’s light, this sensitivity and this compassion bestowed upon the entire world seems to shine forth from this Bodhisattva of a thousand Buddhas.

Art of Cambodia
Bayon style
13th century

Grey-beige sandstone
Height : 95 cm

Sivaism under the Sanjaya Dynasty replaces Buddhism, hitherto state religion of Java. Brahmanism architecture emerges then, where scenery takes up an important place and becomes the privileged way of expression of Indonesian sculptors.

These two individuals symbolize Apsarases, heavenly dancers of the Hindu temple, whose name signifies ‘who walk or glide on water’.

These water nymphs came into being from the Ocean-of-milk when it was churned by gods wanting to acquire the nectar of immortality. These nymphs of attractive beauty lived in Heaven and Air. They number among the most famous figures of South-east Asian art.

Carved in high relief, they are standing upright on an edge emphasized by a vegetable frieze.

Necklaces adorn their breasts, while bracelets their arms. They seem to be enlivened by a disconcerting presence accentuated by their motion.

These humble and charismatic figures commend themselves by their origin’s uniqueness. They witness the Javanese artists’ sensitivity to motion, to life and to mouvements. Still today in Asia, they remain a symbol of cultural identity.

Art of Indonesia
Central Java style
13^th century

Lava stone
Height : 42 cm