A RARE BRONZE FIGURE OF UMA, ANGKOR WAT STYLE, KHMER EMPIRE, 12TH CENTURYExpert’s note: The finely cast details of the face, clothing and jewelry are all indicative of the Angkor period. Uma was a favored goddess in Khmer Angkor, and while sandstone representations of the goddess abound, bronze devotional figures of Uma are considerably rarer.Well cast standing upon a simple square plinth with her hands extended. Her pleated sampot is suspended from a charm-embellished belt and a central sash that tapers off in a distinct fishtail shape. She is ornamented in fine jewelry, including a collar necklace, bracelets, armbands, earrings, and an ornate diadem.Provenance: The personal collection of Robert Rousset, acquired in the 1950s-1970s. Thence by descent to Jean-Pierre Rousset (1936-2021). The underside with an old label, ‘C. 1085’. Robert Rousset (1901-1982) was a former French radio officer in the merchant navy, who became one of the most prominent pioneers of the Chinese art market in Paris. As a child, his father, an insurance agent, would take him to Hôtel Drouot where he started to buy at a very young age. His true passion for Asian art started in the 1920s, when he was sent on a mission to Beijing after the decline of the Qing empire, along with Osvald Sirén, the famous Swedish Asian art historian and connoisseur. He then became one of the main contributors of Chinese antiques for thepagnie de la Chine et des Indes, founded in Paris in the early 20th century by the Blazy brothers. After the 1929 stock market crash, he had the opportunity to acquire thepany. With his sister Suzanne in charge of the porcelain, they developed the business and became one of the most important dealers in France, selling pieces to the greatest museums, including the Musée Guimet and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.Condition: Very good condition,mensurate with age. Extensive wear, losses, nicks, scratches, dents, a crack to the lower sampot, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations. No hidden damages. Magnificent malachite green patina, naturally grown overall.Weight: 547 g (incl. base)Dimensions: Height 17.8 cm (excl. base) and 20.5 cm (incl. base)Mounted on an associated modern base. (2)Auction resultparison:Type: Closely relatedAuction: Christie’s New York, 23 July 2020, lot 36Price: USD 8,125 or approx.EUR 8,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare bronze figure of Uma, Khmer, Angkor period, Angkor Way [sic] style, 12th centuryExpert remark: Note the near-identical size (18.5 cm)