A THAI BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA 17TH CENTURY Cast... Lot 401

A THAI BRONZE HEAD OF BUDDHA 17TH CENTURY Cast with a serene expression, the face framed by his pointed ears with elongated earlobes, his hair cast as many conical spikes, with traces of black lacquer to the face, together with a modern stand, 32cm, 11kg. (2) Provenance: no.29, ST400 in Jonathan Tucker Antonia Tozer Asian Art's 2007 exhibition Brightness from the East: an Important Exhibition of Indian, Southeast Asian and Chinese Art; and then the collection of Mr Richard Nathanson (d.2018), London, purchased from Jonathan Tucker Antonia Tozer Asian Art on 21st September 2007. A copy of the invoice is available. Cf. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, accession no.25.188 for a similar 17th century head in stucco from the Alexander B Griswold Collection. Richard Nathanson began his career at Sotheby's in 1966 and was immediately captivated by Impressionist and early 20th century art. He subsequently set up as an independent art advisor in that field, in which he became well respected and known, in particular for his involvement with the work of artists such as Sisley, Modigliani, Rouault, Bonnard and Albert Houthuesen. During his lifelong career in the art world, Richard expanded his expertise across time and space and gathered an extraordinarily eclectic collection of artworks which included classical, medieval, African, Asian and Oceanic pieces as well as folk art, natural forms and early toys. As he learnt more about these cultures and the art they inspired, his profound admiration for them grew, broadening his spiritual and philosophical outlook. He observed the intense affinities between these pieces, sometimes separated by millennia and thousands of miles and was fascinated by the conversations that arose between these various expressions of human experience. Richard felt that art had the ability to give hope and inspiration in the human quest for truth and beauty.