A Gandhara grey schist architectural fragment. 2nd/3rd century
A Gandhara grey schist architectural fragment carved with two standing guardians in full armour beside a decorative border of a scrolling vine with leaves and grapes. 2nd/3rd century. Mounted.
Height 41.5 cm
The Private collection Dr. Klaus Marquardt,Bochum, of Gandharan art
Lot 1 - 25
The foundation of the collection was laid by my father Dr. Arno Marquardt. He ran a small business in Berlin from around 1920 in which he sold so-called detector devices (precursor to todays radio receivers). He began exporting these and travelled to Turkey and the Middle East. On his travels he acquired antiques for his collection, which I inherited on his death in 1971 (see lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 17).
After a long career in the oil industry I continued to collect as a hobby, in particular seals and craftwork from Central Asia from the Bronze Age onwards. Gandharan sculptural art is only a small part of my collection, acquired from dealers in London and the USA, one important source being the now deceased paleontologist Professor Klaus Müller (1923-2010). Müller acquired many interesting antiques on his business travels in Asia. After his death he bequeathed a large part of his collection to the Kunstmuseum in Bonn. We were friends for many years, during which time he sold me some pieces to continue financing his own collection (see lots 6, 12 and 23).
On retirement I found time to document my collection with the help of the expert archaeologist Dr. Sylvia Winkelmann, resulting in the book 'Alte Kunst aus Afghanistan, Zeugnisse aus der Zeit vor and nach Alexander dem Großen', published by Marie Leidorf GmbH in 2013. Work on the book began in 2009, proof that all the pieces were in Germany at least by this date. The book offers an overview of the history and art of the Afghanistan region from the early Bronze Age to the beginning of the Islamic period.
Provenance
Private collection, Ruhr area
The Private collection Dr. Klaus Marquardt,Bochum, of Gandharan art
Lot 1 - 25
The foundation of the collection was laid by my father Dr. Arno Marquardt. He ran a small business in Berlin from around 1920 in which he sold so-called detector devices (precursor to todays radio receivers). He began exporting these and travelled to Turkey and the Middle East. On his travels he acquired antiques for his collection, which I inherited on his death in 1971 (see lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11 and 17).
After a long career in the oil industry I continued to collect as a hobby, in particular seals and craftwork from Central Asia from the Bronze Age onwards. Gandharan sculptural art is only a small part of my collection, acquired from dealers in London and the USA, one important source being the now deceased paleontologist Professor Klaus Müller (1923-2010). Müller acquired many interesting antiques on his business travels in Asia. After his death he bequeathed a large part of his collection to the Kunstmuseum in Bonn. We were friends for many years, during which time he sold me some pieces to continue financing his own collection (see lots 6, 12 and 23).
On retirement I found time to document my collection with the help of the expert archaeologist Dr. Sylvia Winkelmann, resulting in the book 'Alte Kunst aus Afghanistan, Zeugnisse aus der Zeit vor and nach Alexander dem Großen', published by Marie Leidorf GmbH in 2013. Work on the book began in 2009, proof that all the pieces were in Germany at least by this date. The book offers an overview of the history and art of the Afghanistan region from the early Bronze Age to the beginning of the Islamic period.
Literature
Illustrated in: Winkelmann and Marquardt 2013, no. Ck.2.1.317.., text p. 368, fig. p. 153 and p. 489