Legendary and historical wonders of Asia

The magnificent terracotta figures in the Asian art auction at Lempertz provide a vivid impression of the Silk Road in the early Middle Ages, whilst sculptures transport the viewer to Japan's legendary past.

Globalisation was already making its mark in the early Middle Ages, as impressively demonstrated by the famous Silk Road. During the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD), camels were the backbone of this early long-distance trade route. Terracotta figures from that period still provide an insight into what journeys along the Silk Road were like. Several of these precious figures from an important private collection in Cologne will be auctioned at Lempertz on 12th December – some with riders, others without, but all offering a direct glimpse into life over a thousand years ago (estimates between €18,000 and €90,000).

At the forefront of this collection, however, is an imperial gatekeeper from the Northern Qi period (550–577 AD). The position of his hands and the folds of his robe indicate that he may originally have leant on a sword. Terracotta figures of this kind were once placed in the tombs of high-ranking individuals to serve as guardians.

A rare Geyao plate from another collection with the crackle glaze for which Ge ware is famous dates from the slightly later Southern Song/Yuan Period (1126–1368 AD). Most of these pieces, which originated in the Ge kilns of southern China, remained in the palace collections. It was not until the 20th century that some of these rare objects found their way onto the art trade and thus to Europe, such as this one from the collection of Ernst Arthur Voretzsch, who served as a diplomat and, for a time, as consul in Hong Kong from 1899 onwards. The plate comes from his family's estate and is estimated at €80,000 to €100,000.

The auction also features numerous fine paintings from the same collection, with estimated prices ranging from €1,000 to €15,000 for a horizontal scroll with four depictions of landscapes by Zhang Qia (1718–1799) or a depiction of an immortal surrounded by four young women based on the works of Zhou Fang (8th–9th century), which was created no later than the 17th century.

Japanese art is represented by numerous prints by Katsushika Hokusai, including ‘The Great Tree’, estimated at €9,000 to €12,000. In addition to this, an exquisite selection of woodcuts by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) is on offer, with estimated prices ranging from €800 to €2,500. 

Three colourful wooden sculptures from the Edo period are particularly impressive. One of them is an energetic Aizen Myōō, a dynamic deity who is frowned upon in Buddhism but is regarded in the Shingon doctrine as a force that promotes redemptive knowledge. This 89.5-centimetre-high sculpture is offered at an estimated price of €12,000 to €15,000. A Rakan, or enlightened disciple of Buddha, gazes at the viewer with a much calmer but equally intense, piercing gaze. This is likely to be the Rakan Binzuru, who is worshipped as a deity in Japan and is said to have powers to fight illness and suffering. Estimated price: €9,000 to €12,000. Finally, an En no Gyōja appears even calmer in appearance, yet with the same intensity. This legendary figure from the 7th century is said to have attained magical powers through asceticism. The sculpture, which shows him sitting on a rock in his iconic pose, is offered with an estimate of €9,000 to €12,000.

The ever-popular netsuke in this auction are part of a selection from the collection of Frank Lapisch (1934–2002), who lived between Germany and Japan. His biography, and the knowledge he gained from it, enabled him to assemble an outstanding collection. He was particularly interested in netsuke that were actually used as such. Particularly valuable among them are two laughing sennin (estimated prices €5,000 to €7,000 and €6,000 to €8,000 respectively) and a mysterious mythological figure riding on a dragon turtle (estimated price €6,000 to €8,000). A total of 59 netsuke from this collection are just part of the auction's overall offering.

Jan Bykowski
Press and Public Relations
info@lempertz.com
Tel. 0221 925729 -57