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Dravidian, southern India, 16th-17th century.
Finely carved and incised, Meenakshi (Parvati) is depicted in the center, with her brother Vishnu on the left, giving away her hand to Sundareswarar (Shiva) on the right, all under the shade of a tall verdant tree.
The groom holds the bride’s hands, performing the Panigrahana ritual, as her brother pours a lustration blessing (abhiseka) over the couple’s open hands from a gold pot. The three deities are richly adorned in beaded jewelry and vanamalas, Parvati’s dhoti is carved with elegant pleats. Shiva displays two attributes in his secondary arms, a deer and an axe, while Vishnu similarly holds his mace and conch.
Condition: Magnificent condition with some old wear, mostly from extensive worship within the culture, as well as a few minuscule nicks, chips, small losses, tiny structural fissures, and traces of weathering and erosion. Remnants of ancient ritual pigment.
Provenance: A noted private collection in the south of France, region of Marseille, circa 1920, and thence by descent. Dominique Weitz, Paris, France, acquired circa 1991, and thence by descent.
The present lot is accompanied by copies of:
- An old photograph of the present lot, bearing a handwritten expertise on the backside, describing the statue as a ‘Stèle au basalte - groupe Dravidien, Inde du Sud – XVIe, H. 153 cm’ (basalt stele, Dravidian group, southern India, XVIth, height 153 cm), with stamp and signature from Guy and Thierry Portier, Paris, France.
- A signed expertise from Fran?oise Leroy-Laveissère, Paris, dated 5 December 1988, with a handwritten note from Dominique Weitz addressed to French expert M. Vernet-Vaghari regarding a meeting.
- A detailed typewritten description of the present lot, mentioning the expertise from Fran?oise Leroy-Laveissère, as well as the photograph with the expertise by Guy et Thierry Portier, with a handwritten note from Dominique Weitz addressed to M. Vernet-Vaghari, discussing a possible sale of the present lot.
Guy Portier (1919-2005) was an important French auctioneer and Asian art expert. His father André specialized in the import of silk from the Far East and later served as an expert in the sales of major French collections of Asian art. Guy was in charge of the silk department of the family company until he took over in 1942, gradually focusing on Far Eastern works of art, Japanese prints being one of his passions. In 1967, he included a list of estimates for the objects put up for sale in one of his catalogs for the first time, back in these days a revolutionary change. His son, Thierry Portier, joined the firm in 1973, when the Japanese art market was at its highest. He was appointed honorary expert at the Court of Appeal of Paris, and expert at the French Syndicate of Experts in Works of Art and Collections (SFEP). The family company, Cabinet Portier, still exists to this day.
Dimensions: Height 153 cm, Length 91.5 cm
The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, South India, has a related group carved during the same period as the present lot. Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The complex is one of the most prominent examples of Dravidian architecture, dedicated to the Goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and Lord Sundareswarar, a form of Shiva, the very subject of the present lot. Although the temple has historic roots dating to the 12th century, it was extensively rebuilt in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar and Nayak dynasties after suffering significant destruction during the 14th century invasion by the Delhi Sultanate. Today, it is renowned for its ornate gopurams, Hall of Thousand Pillars, vibrant sculptures, and elaborate architecture.
The rock carvings at Cave 29, Ellora, Maharashtra, India, include a related basalt Kalyanasundara panel. The Ellora Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for their impressive rock-cut architecture. Dating from the 6th to 10th centuries, they feature 34 caves representing Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain traditions, illustrating the religious harmony of the period. Although the caves served as temples and a rest stop for pilgrims, the site's location on an ancient South Asian trade route also made it an important commercial center in the Deccan region.
The circumstances leading to the marriage of Shiva and Parvati constitute a significant episode in the Hindu mythology. After the death of his first wife Sati, Shiva withdrew into an ascetic lifestyle. Taking advantage of the situation, Tarakasura, the demon king secured from Brahma a clever boon that none could kill Tarakasura other than the son of Lord Shiva. Believing himself immortal, Tarakasura terrorized the universe and the heavens. Meanwhile, Sati, Shiva's deceased wife reincarnated as Parvati. She was born to the Himavan and Mena. She underwent severe austerities to impress Shiva to marry her. The gods, in their desperation pursued Kamadeva, the god of love to disturb Shiva's meditation. Though Shiva was awakened, Kamadeva was burnt up by Shiva's fury. Implored by the other gods to marry, Shiva agreed, but decided to test Parvati's devotion first. The Saptarishi (the seven sages) approached Parvati and mocked Shiva to dissuade her; however Parvati remained resolute. Then Shiva himself, disguised as an old ascetic, visited Parvati and vilified himself in her presence. As an angry Parvati was about to leave, Shiva revealed his true form to her and promised to marry her, pleased with her love and devotion. The couple married and produced a son, Kartikeya, who subsequently slew Tarakasura.
Kalyanasundara (lit. ‘beautiful wedding’) is the iconographical depiction of the wedding of the Hindu deities Shiva and Parvati. The couple are often depicted performing the panigrahana ritual, where the groom accepts the bride by taking her right hand in his. They are often accompanied by a host of divinities and other celestial beings. Although this icon is not the object of popular worship and is usually used only in the celebrations of the divine wedding in annual temple festivals, it is found across India in caves, sculptures and on temple walls. At the Meenakshi Amman Temple, women consecrate the Kalyanasundara sculpture to find husbands. This depiction of Shiva and Parvati has remained highly influential across the world, as evidenced for example by a group of sculptures by Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) in Frogner Park, Oslo.
The Dravidian peoples are an ethnicity composed of many distinct ethnolinguistic groups native to South Asia, predominantly India. They speak the Dravidian languages and form the majority of the population of South India and Northern Sri Lanka. The origins of the Dravidians are a complex subject of research and debate. Some evidence suggests the language family may have deep pre-Neolithic roots from Western Asia, specifically from the Iranian plateau. Their origins are often viewed as being connected with the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related basalt figure of Vishnu Narayana lying on the serpent Ananta, 17th-18th century, in the Musée Guimet.
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