New York, 16 August 2012
The 11 September Bonhams auction of Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian Art which will take place during New York Asia Week will feature the collection of Natasha Eilenberg (1919-2012).
The 20-piece collection of this independent scholar of Indian and Southeast Asian art and culture, will feature a 7th/8th century bronze Buddha from the Mon Dvaravati culture in Thailand. Valued between $250,000-$350,000, this is the most important sculpture to appear on the market in the past twenty-five years. With a detailed provenance dating prior to 1969, this object will attract a variety of international museums and collectors.
Recognized for her curatorial eye and opinions on the authenticity of Southeast Asian art, Eilenberg has published a number of important works on her own research as well as translations from the renowned French historian Jean Boisselier. As stated in the press release, Jean Boisselier expressed in his The Heritage of Thai Sculpture (1974), “The school of Dvaravati may stand alongside the great Buddhist artistic traditions of India, so enduring were its innovations and so persuasive its influence on most of the art of Southeast Asia”.