In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japanese culture swept across Europe, influencing art, architecture, design, and garden aesthetics. One of the most famous examples is the Japanese-style garden created by the Impressionist master Claude Monet at Giverny.
Around the same time, Carl Duisberg, chairman of the Bayer chemical company, designed a Japanese garden of his own in Leverkusen. Planted with seasonal flowers from East Asia and adorned with Chinese and Japanese bronze sculptures he personally collected, the garden stood as a striking and picturesque landmark amid European surroundings.
This season, Nagel Auction will present a curated selection of Asian art treasures, including 34 sculptures from Duisberg’s garden. Offered in Stuttgart on 6 and 7 June, the auctions feature a total of more than 2,000 lots, spanning a diverse array of Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, and Southeast Asian works.
Highlights include a large gilt-lacquered wooden Guanyin from the Kangxi period, an imperial green-glazed vase from the Yongzheng reign, and a finely carved Qianlong jade bi disc set in a zitan stand inscribed with an imperial poem – each piece with well-documented provenance.
Lot 34 | A life-size bronze statue of Daikoku
Japan, Meiji Period, late 19th century
Height: 166 cm
Provenance:
- From the collection of Dr C. Duisberg, acquired on his journey to Japan prior to 1930
Estimate: €12,000 - 18,000
Carl Duisberg (1861–1935), CEO and later Chairman of Bayer, played a pivotal role in transforming the company into a global leader in chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Among his many contributions was his support for the development of Prontosil – the world’s first commercially available synthetic antibacterial drug, which marked the beginning of modern pharmaceutical chemistry.
In 1912, following his relocation from Elberfeld to Leverkusen – a move closely tied to Bayer’s expansion and the establishment of its new headquarters – Duisberg turned his attention to the landscape surrounding his private residence.
Abandoning an initial plan for a formal lawn, Duisberg envisioned something more poetic: a landscape shaped by Japanese aesthetics, attuned to seasonal change, natural asymmetry, and contemplative design.
Yet this was not a replica of a Japanese garden, but a deeply personal interpretation, inspired by travels through Shanghai, California, and especially Japan – one in which animal bronzes, stone sculptures, and garden ornaments were chosen not simply for their artistic value, but for how they engaged with trees, water, and light. The result was a living collection: artworks placed not to dominate the landscape, but to breathe with it.
Today's Japanese Garden
Carl Duisberg with the present lot at the Japanese Garden
In his travel journal, Duisberg recounts a visit to Kobe, where he discovered a special bronze figure in a small but exquisitely decorated shop owned by the Japanese dealer Harashin: a “pot-bellied and jolly god of prosperity and well-being, called Daikoku, sitting on a rice sack.”
When Duisberg asked the owner who the figure represented in English, he received a reply in German accompanied by a mischievous smile: “The god of industry.” As Chairman of the Association of German Industry, Duisberg felt compelled to acquire the bronze for his garden on the Rhine.
Technically the god of commerce, Daikoku-ten is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune in Japanese mythology, associated primarily with wealth, prosperity, and agricultural fertility.
Originally a manifestation of the Hindu god Mahākāla, Daikoku evolved into an independent deity of good fortune within both Shintō and Buddhist traditions in Japan. Symbolising his role as a giver of both material wealth and spiritual happiness, his iconographic features include a lucky mallet, a sack of treasures, and rice bales, upon which he is often depicted standing – or, as in this case, seated.
The figure of Daikoku acquired by Duisberg dates to the Meiji period (1868–1912), a transformative era in Japanese history. Following the collapse of the feudal system, Japan underwent rapid modernization and opened its once-closed borders to the world.
This period of transition saw the flourishing of the domestic art market, as traditional craftsmanship encountered new techniques and global influences. Building on the refined artistry of the Edo period, Meiji-era bronzes often combined technical precision with expressive character.
This sculpture is a vivid example. Daikoku-ten holds a mani jewel in his left hand, symbolising the granting of wishes and treasures, while his raised right hand wields a lucky mallet. His cheerful expression and approachable demeanor stand in contrast to the solemnity of earlier religious statuary – an image of abundance rendered with warmth and charm.
Lot 355 | A fine jade 'bi' mounted in a zitan stand with imperial poem
China, Qianlong period, the bi probably Han dynasty
Height: 29.7 cm (stand) | Diameter: 18.7 cm (Bi-scheibe)
Provenance:
- Klaus Nierhoff Collection (1926 - 2011), acquired at Lempertz Köln, 15.11.1963, lot 1097 (collection cataloguing with old description preserved)
Estimate: €15,000 - 25,000
The present jade bi and zitan stand first surfaced at auction in Cologne in 1963, where it was acquired by Klaus Nierhoff (1926–2011). A pharmacist by profession, Nierhoff studied medicine in Mainz before taking over the family business. His passion for Asian art ignited during a visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in the 1950s, after which he began building an extensive collection through auctions and dealers.
The present sale includes over 50 pieces from the Nierhoff collection (Lots 336–391), spanning bronzes, ceramics, paintings, and sculptures.
With a deep passion for antiquities, the Qianlong Emperor was one of China’s greatest collectors and connoisseurs. His vast collection, unrivaled among Chinese emperors, reflected his special reverence for jade – a stone so significant to him that all of his more than ten sons were given names incorporating the jade radical. Many of the archaic jades now housed in the Qing court collection originated from his personal holdings, carefully curated and preserved during his reign.
Qianlong approached his collection with meticulous care. He personally authenticated, classified, and often composed poems in honor of the objects he esteemed most. Of the approximately 40,000 poems attributed to him, over 800 are dedicated to jade. To him, it was far more than a material treasure – it embodied Confucian virtues such as integrity, purity, and resilience, qualities he believed were essential to effective governance and leadership.
To protect and display these artifacts, Qianlong often commissioned elegant table screens crafted from high-quality timber like zitan, where jade objects could be mounted and admired. The screens not only safeguarded the pieces but also enhanced the interiors of the imperial palaces, reflecting the emperor’s refined aesthetic ideals.
One such example is the present jade bi disc, carved with grain patterns – an auspicious Han dynasty motif symbolizing prayers for bountiful harvests – and set in a finely crafted zitan stand shaped like a ceremonial gui tablet.
The stand is intricately detailed, with waves and cliffs at its base and a circular Qian trigram (☰) flanked by two chi dragons carved into the upper section. On the reverse, a Qianlong poem is inscribed, accompanied by two imperial seals that underscore jade’s symbolic role as an allegory for virtue: “Bi De” (Comparing Virtue) and “Lang Run” (Bright and Lustrous).
Both jade gui tablets and bi discs were integral to ancient Chinese ritual practices, used in ceremonies honoring heaven and the four cardinal directions. Together, they were part of the “Six Ritual Implements”, a set of ceremonial objects symbolizing cosmic harmony. The “gui-bi”, a hybrid of the two forms, was reserved for emperors during sacrificial rites, serving both as a sacred object and a symbol of imperial authority.
Imperial artworks inscribed with Qianlong’s poems are rare and highly prized. In 2019, a comparable Han dynasty jade bi mounted in a zitan frame with a Qianlong poem appeared at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. Estimated at HK$7 million, it ultimately sold for nearly HK$13.4 million.
A Qianlong-period dated zitan-mounted Han dynasty jade bi | Sold: HK$13,375,000, Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2019
Lot 662 | An extremely rare and very large figure of the standing Guanyin standing on a lotus over foliage
China, Kangxi period
Height: 145 cm
Provenance:
- From an old European private collection, according to tradition in the family since the 1920s
Estimate: €60,000 - 100,000
Gilt-bronze statues may be the best-known examples of Ming and Qing Buddhist art, but large-scale gilt-lacquered wood sculptures – such as this Kangxi-period Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara) – have also enjoyed growing admiration among collectors.
During the latest Hong Kong sale season, Bonhams presented a Kangxi gilt-lacquered wood figure of Maitreya, 126 cm tall, which soared past expectations to achieve HK$9.9 million. Similarly, at Christie’s in 2019, an 18th-century gilt-lacquered wood Medicine Buddha, standing 173 cm tall, reached HK$31.3 million.
While Qing emperors widely revered Buddhism, for the Kangxi Emperor, this devotion held particularly deep personal meaning. His spiritual inclinations were shaped by his grandmother, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, a devout Buddhist of Mongolian noble descent who raised him following the early death of his mother. As his guardian and political advisor, she played a pivotal role in the young emperor’s consolidation of power.
Kangxi’s reverence for her is poignantly reflected in a four-language inscription – in Chinese, Manchu, Mongolian, and Tibetan – dedicated to her on a gilt-bronze Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara Shadakshari, dated to 1686 and preserved in the Qing Court Collection. He personally hand-copied the Heart Sutra in multiple formats and organized elaborate Buddhist rituals for her Longevity Festivals, while also sponsoring the construction of temples across Beijing, Rehe, Mongolia, and Tibet.
Standing at an impressive 145 cm, this gilt-lacquered wood Avalokiteshvara was likely commissioned for an important temple hall. She is depicted with tranquil dignity – eyes gently closed, features composed in serene contemplation.
The bodhisattva stands atop a double-lotus pedestal, symbolizing spiritual purity and transcendence. Her slightly tilted waist and hands resting near the right hip create a subtle asymmetry, visually balanced by the flowing hem of her celestial robe, which sweeps leftward in rhythmic motion.
A comparable Avalokiteshvara sculpture from the 18th century, sharing notable stylistic similarities in composition and carving, is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Two further related examples can be found in the Exner Collection and the Museum Fünf Kontinente in Munich.
A comparable Avalokiteshvara sculpture from the 18th century in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Lot 741 | A very rare Imperial mint-green enamelled bottle vase
China, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within double-circles and of the period
Height: 22.5 cm
Provenance:
- Important South German private collection, formerly, according to tradition, from an old Belgian diplomatic collection, collected in Peking in the 1920s
- Sold at Lempertz, Cologne, 19 November 2004, lot 180
- Sold at Nagel 9 November 2011, lot 58
- Acquired by the present owner
Estimate: €150,000 - 250,000
Of the three great reigns of the Qing Dynasty’s golden age, Yongzheng-era court art is celebrated for its refined elegance and sophisticated taste. Under the emperor’s direct supervision, porcelain production at the imperial kilns reached new heights, marked by exceptional technical innovation – particularly in the development of monochrome glazes.
Among these, green glazes from the Yongzheng period are notable for their variety and brilliance, ranging from apple green and turquoise to peacock green. Yet the soft pale green glaze on this bottle vase is remarkably rare. Thin yet durable, it possesses a jade-like luster and a delicate web of fine crackles. Its quiet elegance distinguishes it from the more luminous and saturated hues typically associated with the period, offering a subtler but equally captivating aesthetic.
Across public and private collections worldwide, no other surviving bottle vase with this exact glaze has been identified. Even among other vessel forms, examples featuring this pale green hue are exceedingly rare. Research suggests that this glaze may have been inspired by turquoise-glazed glassware, which was produced in significant quantities under Yongzheng’s patronage.
The use of green glazes in Chinese ceramics has a long history, dating back to the Eastern Han dynasty. While green-glazed wares were produced intermittently over the centuries – reaching particular prominence in periods such as the Song dynasty with its Green Ding wares – their hues tended to be darker and more intense. Only with the technological advancements of the Ming and Qing dynasties did a broader and more nuanced palette of green glazes emerge.
Covered with a lustrous glaze of soft green tone, the present vase is a Yongzheng-period example of a form known in Chinese as danping, or “gallbladder vase.” This elegant silhouette features a graceful pear-shaped body, with a tall cylindrical neck rising from sloping shoulders and terminating in a straight, uneverted mouth.
The shape itself has roots in the Song dynasty, celebrated for its flowing lines and proportional elegance. Traditionally intended to hold a single long-stemmed flower or branch, it remains a timeless favorite among collectors.
This vase’s provenance can be traced back to the early 20th century, when it formed part of a Dutch private collection. It last appeared at auction in 2011, and is now consigned by an important private collector in southern Germany, marking its return to the market after 14 years.
This work is offered alongside a group of exceptional imperial objects from the same collection, including a Zhengde-period yellow-ground blue-and-white vessel (Lot 698), Qing dynasty monochrome glassware (Lots 730–732), and monochrome-glazed porcelains from the Qing dynasty (Lots 736–739).
Lot 489 | A very rare and fine dated gilt-bronze figure of Yama
China, inscribed at the base: Made by Pan on the first day of the ninth month of the 20th year of the Daoguang period (1840)
Height: 19.2 cm
Provenance:
- Important South German private collection collected between 1956 and 2004
Estimate: €4,000 - 6,000
Throughout Chinese history, no dynasty escaped the challenges of governing its border regions. For the Qing Empire, the administration of Mongolia and Tibet required a delicate balance of military force and diplomatic conciliation.
While armed power was essential to asserting control, the Qing court strategically employed religion as a unifying force and a means of soft power. Grand Buddhist temples were constructed across the empire, and imperial workshops produced exquisite religious icons for palace worship or as diplomatic gifts for high-ranking lamas.
Long before their conquest of China, the Manchu rulers, influenced by neighboring Mongolian and Tibetan cultures, had converted from traditional Shamanism to Tibetan Buddhism. Many members of the imperial family – including the emperors themselves – were devout practitioners.
Through shared religious beliefs, the Qing court solidified its alliances with Mongolia and Tibet, where the emperors were respected not only as political sovereigns but also as spiritual guardians. Tibetan Buddhist leaders even recognized the Qing emperors as emanations of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom.
Among the religious artworks produced during this period is the present Qing dynasty gilt-bronze statue of Yama, a figure whose transformation across religious traditions reflects the evolution of spiritual beliefs through Asia.
In ancient Indian mythology, Yama was the son of the sun god Surya and the first mortal to die. He became the guide of souls and ruler of the afterlife, leading beings to celestial paradise. With the rise of Brahmanism and Hinduism, and the growing importance of karma and samsara, Yama’s role evolved into that of a fearsome judge presiding over the underworld, determining the fate of souls based on their actions.
In Tibetan Buddhism, Yama is reinterpreted as a wrathful protector deity, considered an emanation of Manjushri Bodhisattva. His terrifying form – with flaming hair, flaring nostrils, and bulging eyes – represents his fierce defense of the Dharma.
The five-skull crown atop his head represents the transformation of the Five Poisons into the Five Wisdoms of enlightenment. The snake ornaments around his neck symbolize the taming of destructive emotions, while the garland of human heads draped across his shoulders alludes to the illusory nature of all phenomena. Beneath him, Yama tramples corpses, signifying the destruction of ignorance and inner obstacles.
A closely related gilt-bronze figure of Yama, dated to the Qianlong period and measuring 17.8 cm, appeared in Bonhams’ 2018 Hong Kong autumn auction, where it achieved HK$400,000.
Within the wider tradition of Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhism, another noteworthy form of devotional art is the tsha-tsha – small clay figurines or miniature stupas used as portable votive offerings.
This season, Nagel Auctions features a group of tsha-tsha figures (Lots 571–573) from the collection of Hans Leder (1843–1921). A renowned Austro-Hungarian explorer, Leder traveled extensively through Mongolia and Tibet, documenting his journeys and assembling a significant collection of Buddhist artifacts. Many of these are now housed in institutions such as the Weltmuseum Wien (Vienna Museum of Ethnology) and other Central European museums.
A Qianlong gilt copper alloy figure of Yama Dharmaraja | Sold: HK$400,000, Bonhams Hong Kong, 2018
Lot 599 | A rare limestone fragment of Maitreya
China, Northern Wei Dynasty, 6th century
Height: 35 cm
Provenance:
- An old Bavarian private collection, collected since the 1960s, this sculpture acquired at Neumeister, München, auction 204, 23.9.1981, lot 788 (original invoice preserved)
Estimate: €8,000 - 12,000
When Buddhism gained prominence in China during the late 4th century, it did so amid a time of profound political upheaval. States were in near-constant conflict for land and power, and northern China was fragmented into a series of short-lived dynasties.
Amid this instability, Buddhism flourished as a spiritual solace and unifying cultural force. Adopted as a state religion, it received strong imperial support, with vast resources devoted to the construction of Buddhist shrines and the commissioning of devotional sculptures. Under the court’s influence, the aristocracy and broader population followed suit, believing that by performing good deeds, they could accumulate merit. Religious art thus became the essence of artistic production during this period.
One of the most revered figures in Chinese Buddhism at the time was Maitreya, the Future Buddha, prophesied to descend to earth after the Dharma of Shakyamuni had been forgotten. Associated with a messianic return and the promise of a new era of peace and enlightenment, Maitreya offered hope amid the chaos of the times. His popularity inspired a rich visual tradition, often portraying him in various gestures and forms.
The present figure depicts Maitreya with one hand in abhaya mudra, the gesture of protection, and the other arm lost. His slender frame, elongated facial features, and loose attire exemplify the aesthetic ideals of Northern Wei Buddhist sculpture, marked by modesty and simplicity.
A hallmark of Northern Wei style is the use of flowing robes with flame-like drapery folds that cascade in rhythmic patterns, suggesting spiritual lightness. The garments cling to the figure, subtly revealing the contours of the skeletal frame beneath. Reminiscent of the attire favored by contemporary literati and poets, the stylistic choice reflects the syncretic nature of the period, as Confucian and Daoist beliefs began to influence Buddhist iconography following the empire’s unification.
At the 2022 Hong Kong Spring Auction, Sotheby’s presented a seated figure of a pensive Maitreya, also dating to the 6th-century Northern Wei dynasty. Previously held in the collections of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in New York and the esteemed dealer Eskenazi – often referred to as the “Godfather of Chinese Antiques” – the statue achieved a final price of HK$9.45 million following intense bidding.
A limestone seated figure of a 'Pensive' Maitreya, Northern Wei Dynasty, early 6th century | Sold: HK$9.45 million, Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2019
Lot 694 | A large painting depicting Buddha Shakyamuni with eight disciples and eight Bodhisattvas, ink and bright colors on silk, mounted as a hanging scroll
China, Ming dynasty
240.5 x 93 cm
Provenance:
- European private collection
Estimate: €30,000 - 50,000
Embodying the monumental vision of Ming dynasty Buddhist art, this towering silk scroll – measuring 240.5 cm in height – was painted with vibrant mineral pigments that required months of meticulous labor. The pigments, derived from ground minerals such as malachite and azurite, demanded extreme precision. Unlike modern paints, they could not be freely blended: improper combinations risked cracking, while overly thin layers would fail to adhere to the silk surface.
At the heart of the composition sits Shakyamuni Buddha, cross-legged on a richly ornamented lotus-Sumeru throne. His right hand is raised in the gesture of teaching, while his left touches the earth – a reference to his moment of enlightenment and victory over the demon Mara.
Surrounding the Buddha are eight attendant disciples, some holding scriptures or alms bowls, others with hands pressed together in prayer. Below the throne stand Avalokiteshvara and Mahasthamaprapta, accompanied by six additional bodhisattvas, forming a celestial retinue. In the lower foreground, a kneeling bodhisattva listens intently, embodying the role of the devoted practitioner receiving the Buddha’s wisdom.
The painting’s style closely aligns with Ming-period mural traditions seen in temple sites such as Beijing’s Fahai Temple, Pilu Temple in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, and Guanyin Temple in Xinjin, Sichuan.
Characteristic of Ming Buddhist art, Shakyamuni is rendered with a powerful, grounded presence: broad-chested, rounded in the shoulders, and serene in expression. The flanking bodhisattvas contrast with more graceful, flowing forms. Their celestial garments fall in elegant folds, adorned with necklaces of intricate jewels and delicate flower-petal pendants. Shakyamuni himself wears a double-collared inner robe beneath a flowing kashaya, draped over both shoulders with subtle weight and texture.
Lot 783 | Lin Fengmian (1900-1991) | Bouquet of gladioli, watercolor on paper, mounted and framed under glass
20th century
68 x 68 cm
Signed lower right: Lin Fengmian
Sealed: Lin Fengmian yin (Seal of Lin Fengmian)
Provenance:
- By repute formerly private collection France, collected in the 1980s
Estimate: €30,000 - 50,000
Lin Fengmian was a pioneer of modernism in China – a visionary who bridged Eastern traditions with Western innovations. Among the first Chinese artists to study in France in the early 20th century, he absorbed the influences of Western modernism, drawing from Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, and Primitivism, while remaining deeply rooted in the expressive aesthetics of traditional Chinese painting.
In the late 1920s, as director of the newly established National Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Lin transformed art education by introducing works by Western masters such as Van Gogh and Cézanne into the curriculum. His bold vision shaped a new generation of influential Chinese artists, including Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chun, and Wu Guanzhong.
In his own practice, Lin revitalized Chinese ink painting by reimagining it through the lens of Western modernism. He developed a distinctive style defined by bold brushwork, vibrant color, and harmonious composition, forging a dynamic synthesis between two artistic worlds.
Lin Fengmian
Another floral painting by Lin Fengmian collected by the Shanghai Artists Association
From the late 1940s through the 1960s, still-life painting became one of Lin’s favored subjects. These works reflect his ongoing exploration of composition, color, and line as he sought to unify Eastern sensibilities with Western form. His vivid palette, dynamic technique, and unique perspective were shaped by his European education, yet his deepest inspirations often came from ancient Chinese murals and Song dynasty ceramics.
This painting, centered on a vase of gladioli, fills the frame with energy and movement. Lin’s use of a square composition – instead of the traditional long scroll format – was groundbreaking, defying artistic conventions of the time. Bold, expressive brushstrokes animate the petals, while yellow-green leaves radiate outward in rhythmic bursts. What appears spontaneous at first glance reveals, on closer inspection, a carefully constructed geometric structure.
Lin Fengmian’s works are now held in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Cernuschi Museum in Paris, and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Floral still lifes of gladioli similar to this piece can also be found at Shanghai’s Suning Art Museum and the Shanghai Artists Association.
Lot 831 | A large and fine porcelain dragon vase decorated in relief 'tianqiuping'
China, Qianlong seal mark decorated in iron red, 18th/19th century
Height: 59 cm
Provenance:
- From an old German private collection, acquired in 1976 (expertise by G. M. Segers, Paris, dated 10 May 1976 available)
Estimate: €6,000 - 10,000
The Chinese myth of a fish transforming into a dragon has captivated imaginations for centuries, with the carp holding a special place in Chinese culture as a symbol of perseverance, transformation, and success.
As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, historical records mention Confucius receiving a carp as a gift. By the Han dynasty, the famous legend of “the carp leaping over the Dragon Gate” had fully taken shape.
According to the tale, every spring, carp swim upstream against the powerful currents of the Yellow River, striving to reach the Dragon Gate. Those that successfully leap over it are transformed into dragons, bringing rain and clouds in their wake – a metaphor for achieving great success and rising to prominence, still widely used today.
This tianqiuping vase vividly depicts the myth through intricate high-relief carving. A majestic five-clawed golden dragon soars through swirling clouds in pursuit of a flaming pearl. Below, four bright red carp swim amid crashing waves. One leaps upward, spouting water from its mouth, capturing the moment of transformation.
The tianqiuping form is among the most revered in Chinese porcelain. First emerging during the Yongle and Xuande periods, it flourished during the Qing dynasty. Its shape – resembling a celestial sphere – draws inspiration from Persian and Central Asian metalwork, featuring a generously proportioned globular body topped by a tall cylindrical neck.
What makes this example particularly remarkable is its well-preserved gilding. Applied as a low-temperature overglaze, gold decoration is notoriously fragile and prone to damage – even from static electricity generated by feather dusters.
In 2024, Christie’s Hong Kong held a single-owner auction dedicated to the refined collection of legendary collector Au Bak Ling. This inaugural sale for Christie’s new Asia-Pacific headquarters achieved an impressive total of nearly HK$87 million. Among the 19 lots of porcelain – all of which sold – was a comparable tianqiuping vase.
That piece, also decorated in high relief and painted in iron red, depicted the same mythological theme. Dating to the Guangxu period of the late Qing dynasty and lacking a reign mark, it stood 53.5 cm tall and fetched HK$756,000 after intense bidding.
A comparable tianqiuping vase from the Guangxu period | Sold: HK$756,000, Christie's Hong Kong, 2024
Lot 49 | A fine and large lacquered wood figure of an elderly priest
Japan, Edo period
Height: 85 cm
Provenance:
- From an old South German private collection, in family ownership since the early 20th century
Estimate: €15,000 - 25,000
Across history, art has mirrored the social, political, and cultural forces of its time. In Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868), religion played a central role in the Tokugawa shogunate’s efforts to unify and control the country. Buddhism functioned not only as a spiritual foundation, but also as a powerful instrument of state control.
Under the household registration system, every individual – whether samurai, farmer, artisan, or merchant – was required to register with a Buddhist temple. Life events, from births and marriages to travel and deaths, were documented by temple authorities, placing the monastic order at the very heart of daily life.
This integration of religion and governance spurred an extraordinary flourishing of Buddhist art, especially sculpture. At its height, Japan was home to more than 200,000 temples, creating immense demand for devotional objects. Sculptures ranged from towering temple icons to small, personal figures, crafted by skilled artisans, monk-artists, and prestigious workshops like the Kyoto-based Shichijō Bussho, official suppliers to the shogunate.
Within this rich artistic tradition, this lacquered wood sculpture of an elderly priest stands as a fine example of Edo-period Buddhist art.
The lifelike details of the monk’s face and posture show the sculptor’s remarkable skill. Seated cross-legged in an upright pose, the monk emanates stillness and serenity. His hands rest naturally at his waist, but the slight tension in his palms and the gentle curve of his fingers suggest deep focus, as if in a moment of contemplation. His steady gaze and firmly closed lips exude calm concentration and inner strength.
Buddhist portrait sculptures like this one often honored significant figures in monastic life, such as abbots, revered masters, or influential monks. These works preserved their memory while embodying the virtues of wisdom, discipline, and compassion they stood for.
Lot 51 | A rare four-panel screen
Probably Japanese or Indo-Portuguese, unsigned, 16th/17th century
189.5 x 62.5 cm
Provenance:
- Christie's London, 15.11.1993, Lot 152 - Important Bavarian private collection
Estimate: €20,000 - 30,000
While Buddhism shaped much of Japan’s religious and artistic life during the Edo period, earlier centuries witnessed profound encounters with foreign belief systems – most dramatically with the arrival of Christianity in the 16th century.
Catholic missionaries, led by the Jesuit Francis Xavier, brought with them not only Christian iconography but also secular European paintings and printed books, offering Japan a window into the cultural and artistic currents of Renaissance Europe. Their influence led to the establishment of seminaries that trained local converts in both theology and the arts.
European painting techniques were gradually adapted by Japanese artists using traditional materials. Without access to European canvas and oil paints, artists turned to local methods to emulate Western styles. In this painting, washi (Japanese paper) was used in place of canvas, while traditional pigments – such as ultramarine, verdigris, red ochre, and white shell pigment – were mixed with animal glue or oily substances.
This screen exemplifies the blending of Western and Japanese elements. The hunting scene in the upper section likely derives from a European print, as suggested by the stylized, somewhat primitive figures and their large eyes with small dark irises. In contrast, the lower and middle sections of the screen feature water, birds, and animals rendered in a more traditional Japanese style.
Framing this four-panel scene is a gold moriage decoration with an unusual design: a column on each side and four emblems of a double-headed eagle surmounted by a single crown. Originally a symbol of Byzantine imperial heraldry and later adopted by the Holy Roman, Austrian, and Russian empires, the double-headed eagle represents European power and authority. Its appearance here is rare, suggesting a possible link to a European noble family.
Lot 401 | A rare Khmer Baphuon style, gilt-bronze figure of Hevajra
Cambodia, 11th century
Height: 31.5 cm
Provenance:
- Important South German private collection, acquired at Christie's Amsterdam, 10.12.2002, lot 163. With a copy of an owner's letter from A.I. Donaldson, London, dated 15.7.1994, stating that this bronze was acquired by him in Hong Kong in the early 1970s and brought to England in 1982
Estimate: €40,000 - 60,000
For anyone who’s visited the world-famous Angkor site, Baphuon Temple needs no introduction. Just a short three-minute walk northwest of the iconic Bayon Temple – famed for its “Smile of Angkor” – sits this grand temple-mountain. Built in the 11th century as a state temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, it was later transformed into a Buddhist temple. As was common in Angkor, temples often incorporated sculptures from multiple religious traditions, regardless of their original dedication.
Cambodia’s religious landscape was profoundly shaped by Indian cultural influence. During the Khmer Empire, Hinduism and Buddhism – both Mahayana and Vajrayana – coexisted harmoniously. This openness to diverse religious traditions fostered a distinctive Angkorian artistic style, blending Indian iconography with local Southeast Asian aesthetics.
Take Hevajra, a wrathful deity of Vajrayana Buddhism, for example. In Tibetan tradition, Hevajra is typically depicted as fearsome: crowned with skulls, wreathed in flames, and radiating fierce energy. By contrast, this 11th-century Angkorian sculpture portrays Hevajra with a serene and composed expression, exuding calm authority rather than ferocity. By this point, Khmer artists had moved beyond direct Indian prototypes, embracing distinctly Southeast Asian features such as Hevajra’s broad forehead, arched eyebrows, flat nose, wide mouth, and full lips.
Baphuon Temple
Khmer sculpture is celebrated for its austere, minimalist forms that convey a deep sense of serenity and restraint, and the art of the Baphuon period represents the pinnacle of this ascetic aesthetic.
A hallmark of the style is the treatment of the traditional Cambodian sampot, which is pulled up at the waist and runs flush along the hips, accentuating the body’s smooth contours. In this sculpture, the fabric cascades gracefully to the base of Hevajra’s left foot, enhancing the rhythm and fluidity of the deity’s dance-like posture.
While Hevajra sculptures are not uncommon, examples attribute to the Baphuon period are exceedingly rare. Remarkably, this piece retains much of its original gilding after more than 1,000 years – an extraordinary feat given its age. Comparable examples are scarce in public collections. The Cambodia National Museum houses a similar piece from the same period, though smaller in scale and lacking gilding.
Auction Details:
Auction House: NAGEL Auktionen Stuttgart
Sale: Asian Art I (834) | Lots 1–391
Date and Time: 6 June 2025 | 9:30 am (German Local Time)
Sale: Asian Art II (834) | Lots 400–878
Date and Time: 7 June 2025 | 9:30 am (German Local Time)
Sale: Asian Art Online I
Date and Time: 2 - 8 June 2025 | Ends at 4 pm (Hong Kong Local Time)
Sale: Asian Art Online II
Date and Time: 3 - 9 June 2025 | Ends at 4 pm (Hong Kong Local Time)
Japanese Woodblock Prints Online |
Date and Time: 3 - 10 June 2025 | Ends at 4 pm (Hong Kong Local Time)
Preview: 4-6 June 2025 | 10 am - 5 pm
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