PERIODNortheastern India, 10th-11th century. The face showing a serene expression, with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes beneath gently arched eyebrows centered by an urna, full lips forming a subtle smile, and distinct rounded chin, flanked by long and elegantly curved ears, the hair piled up in a high coiffure centered by a small Buddha Amitabha.Provenance: Indian Heritage, Paris. LP Collection Paris, acquired from the above. Established in 2006 by Frederic Rond, Indian Heritage is a gallery specializing in Indian and Himalayan art. Located in St Germain des Pres, Paris, it offers a large selection of primitive and classical pieces with a focus on Himalayan masks.Condition: Extensive wear and losses, nicks and scratches, all visible on images.Weight: 5.8 kgDimensions: Height 20 cm (excl. base) and 27.5 cm (incl. base)Mounted on an associated metal base. (2)The present head is a fragment, though of relatively large mass and size, and most likely was originally part of a monumental stele, at least 80 cm tall.Auction result comparison: Compare with a related fragment of a stele, of overall larger size but with a considerably smaller head, at Christie's Paris in Arts d'Asie on 19 December 2012, lot 206, sold for EUR 15,000.