A BLACK STONE STELE OF PADMAPANI, PALA PERIOD, NORTHEASTERN INDIA, BIHAR, 10TH CENTURYHe is dressed in the trappings of royalty with a crisply carved jeweled collar, belt, and yajnopavita (sacred thread). His serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below gently arched brows and an urna, his full lips forming a subtle smile, his head surmounted by an elaborate crown centered by an image of the Buddha Amitabha. The arched mandorla flanked by two flying apsaras.Provenance: From the collection of Jean-Marc Andral, acquired between 1996 and 2005 at Galerie Carré des Antiquaires in Versailles, France. A copy of a provenance statement, written and signed by Jean-Marc Andral, dated 31 July 2022, accompanies this lot. Jean-Marc Andral is a Belgian manager based in Brussels and active in the healthcare industry for over 25 years. Condition: Excellent condition, commensurate with age. Wear, minor losses, small nicks, light scratches, a small decorative element reattached, signs of weathering and erosion, remnants of pigment, encrustations.Weight: 31 kg (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 57 cm (excl. stand) and 59 cm (incl. stand)Mounted on an associated stand. (2)This superbly carved sculpture depicts Avalokiteshvara as the lotus-bearer Padmapani, further identified by the image of his spiritual father Amitabha in the crown. Finely carved, standing in tribhanga on a double-lotus pedestal, flanked by two standing bodhisattvas, one side with two kneeling worshippers, all atop similar lotus platforms. His right hand is holding a rosary while his left is holding a lotus stem coming to full bloom at the shoulder.Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 16 March 2016, lot 757 Price: USD 52,500 or approx. EUR 60,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A black stone stele depicting Padamapani Lokeshvara, Eastern India, Bihar, 10th centuryExpert remark: Note the larger size (83.8 cm) Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams New York, 17 September 2014, lot 92 Price: USD 245,000 or approx. EUR 280,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A black stone stele of Avalokiteshvara, Bihar, Pala period, late 10th centuryExpert remark: Note the much larger size (103 cm)