A 12th century brass figure of Kapaladhara Hevarja embracing his consort Nairatma – estimate €120,000-160,000 at Bonhams in Paris.
Further sales from this source will be staged in Paris and Hong Kong in 2022 and 2023.
The collection, which has an estimated value of more than €10m, was assembled over several decades by the late dealer and collector Claude de Marteau. It spans works created over a period of 1500 years in the Hindu and Buddhist cultures that once flourished in India, Nepal, Tibet and China.
Highlights include a 4ft 10in (1.47m) high Gandharan grey schist carved statue of Buddha dated to the 3rd-4th century which is estimated at €500,000-700,000 and this small 5¾in (14.5cm) high 12th century brass figure of Kapaladhara Hevarja embracing his consort Nairatma. It comes from north-east India and is from the Pala period. The small, portable size suggests it was intended for private devotional use.
It is estimated at €120,000-160,000.
