A CARVED STONE LINGA, NEPAL, 16TH-17TH CENTURY
Superbly carved with four faces each representing aspects of Shiva, all four holding a rosary and a bottle, with elaborate coiffure and elaborate crown, fine expression, and richly adorned with jewelry, a raised band of wave diaper behind the heads.

Provenance: Arturo Schwarz, Milan, 1997. A private collection in Bergamo, Italy, acquired from the above. Collection of Leonardo Vigorelli, Bergamo, acquired from the above. Arturo Schwarz (1924-2021) was an Italian scholar, art historian, poet, writer, lecturer, art consultant and curator of international exhibitions. He lived in Milan, where he amassed a large collection of Dada and Surrealist art, including many works by personal friends such as Marcel Duchamp, Andre Breton, Man Ray, and Jean Arp. In 1975, Schwarz started working as curator and writer, writing extensive publications on the work of Marcel Duchamp, as well as books and numerous essays on the Kabbalah, Tantrism, alchemy, prehistoric and tribal art, and Asian art and philosophy. His 1977 book on Man Ray's works and life was the first to reveal Ray's real name.
Condition: Very good condition with old wear, mostly to the top, small nicks and losses, occasional light surface scratches. With a good, unctuous feel overall and an elegant, naturally grown patina and luster.

Dimensions: Height 37.5 cm (excl. base) and 47.5 cm (incl. base)

Mounted on a modern stepped base. (2)

This large linga is in the form of panchamukhalinga, the five-headed Shiva. The four faces protruding from the sides are directed in the cardinal directions, representing different aspects of the deity, the ferocious Bhairava (south), Nandin with a lion crown (west), Tamreshvara with floral and serpent earrings (north), Mahadeva with matted hairstyle (east), all bearing rosaries and a bottle with the elixir of immortality. The fifth, representing the absolute, is generally not shown, in keeping with the Hindu belief that the absolute is formless.

Literature comparison: For an earlier example, dated 10th century, see the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B87S7. Compare a gray stone linga, dated 10th-11th century, at Christie's New York, 31 March 2005, lot 178.

Auction result comparison: Compare a related copper repousse linga cover, dated 15th-16th century, at Christie's New York in Sacred and Imperial: The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection Online on 29 September 2020, lot 14, sold for USD 35,000.


尼泊爾十六至十七世紀石雕林迦
精雕細刻，四面各有一濕婆神，各持一串念珠和一個寳瓶，髮型精美，頭戴王冠，裝飾華麗。

來源：米蘭Arturo Schwarz, 1997年；義大利貝加莫私人收藏，購於上述收藏；貝加莫Leonardo Vigorelli 收藏，購於上述收藏。Arturo Schwarz (1924-2021) 是一位義大利學者、藝術史學家、詩人、作家、講師、藝術顧問和國際展覽策展人。 他住在米蘭，收藏了大量達達主義和超現實主義藝術作品，其中包括馬塞爾·杜尚、安德烈·布雷頓、曼·雷和讓·阿爾普等私人朋友的許多作品。1975 年，Schwarz開始擔任策展人并開始撰寫大量關於馬塞爾·杜尚作品的書籍以及關於卡巴拉、密宗、煉金術、史前和部落藝術以及亞洲藝術和哲學的書籍和大量論文。他在 1977 年出版的關於曼雷作品和生活的書是第一本揭露雷的真名的書。
品相：狀況極好，磨損，大部分到頂部，小劃痕和缺損，局部有輕微的表面劃痕。 整體感覺良好，包漿瑩潤優雅。

尺寸：高37.5 厘米 (不含底座)，總 47.5 厘米

安裝在現代階梯式底座上。(2)

這個大林伽是五頭濕婆神的形式。從側面突出的四張臉朝向主要方向，代表神祇的不同方面，兇猛的陪臚（南）、戴獅冠的 南迪（西）、戴花卉和蛇形耳環的 Tamreshvara（北）、瑪哈德娃（東），都帶著念珠和一瓶長生不老藥。 第五，代表絕對，一般不顯示，與印度教認為絕對是無形的信仰一致。

文獻比較: 一件更早的十世紀的林迦，見 舊金山亞洲美術館，編號B87S7；比較一件灰石雕林迦, 十至十一世紀，見紐約佳士得，2005年3月31日，lot 178。

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的銅錘鍱林迦蓋，十五至六十世紀，見紐約佳士得Sacred and Imperial: The James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection Online 2020年9月29日 lot 14, 售價USD 35,000。