A BLACK STONE FIGURE OF BUDDHA CALLING THE EARTH TO WITNESS Eastern India, Pala period, 9th/10th Century

Himalayan Art Resources item no. 13418.

Ernst Diez, acquired 27 October 1930.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Charles W. Harkness Endowment Fund, 1930

 

H. Hollis, 'Indian Sculpture', in The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, vol. 17, no. 10, December 1930, illus. p. 198.

Wear and accretion overall, with traces of ritual powder at apex. With scattered losses along outer edges at hairline, to nose, mouth, proper left eye, proper left hand, and proper left knee. With "30.524" in red paint at reverse.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This iconic representation depicts Buddha Shakyamuni at the moment of Enlightenment, under the leaves of bodhi tree. His right hand touches the earth in bhumisparsha mudra, calling the earth to witness this event. 

The outer edge of the stele is adorned with a wave motif and a band of raised pearls. Following the curve of the stele is an inscription with the Buddhist creed, in poetical rendering:

Of all things sprung from a cause
The Buddha hath revealed the cause;
Likewise he reveals how each must end.
Such is the word of the Great Sage.

Under the double-lotus base is a stepped throne, a kneeling female attendant figure with the left hand raised in offering, flanked by a pair of addorsed vyala.  

Compare the current work with another Pala-period black stone stele depicting the Buddha, see D. Barrett, "A Group of Bronzes from the Deccan," Lalit Kala, 3-4 (1956-57) pp. 39-45, pl. VII.