'Prayers and Recitations at the Muharram Festival’, Circa of Sewak Ram. Patna, India, circa 1820-30. Estimate: £5,000-£7,000. LONDON.-Matthew Barton's European and Asian Works of Art auction of 374 lots encompasses centuries of craftsmanship; when browsing the catalogue, the diversity of pieces and ‘cross pollination’ of styles will stimulate a collector’s interest in influences brought along the trade routes and spread through expanding kingdoms and empires. Among the religious works of art, starting in South East Asia, a highlight from Cambodia is a Pre Rup style grey sandstone head of Harihara, a Hindu deity combining Vishnu and Shiva, circa 10th century, estimated at £4,000-£6,000. The Tibetan, Nepalese and Indian sculptures in the sale include a Jain brass shrine depicting Candraprabha, from Gujurat, circa 16th century, this has an estimate of £1,500-£2,500. Stucco and terracotta heads of Buddha as well as grey schist fragments from Gandhara (now a region in both Pakistan and Afghanistan) date from the 3rd to the 5th centuries. In the 1st century, rulers of the Kushan empire of which Gandhara was part, maintained contacts with Rome, and the classical aesthetic blends with Buddhist iconography in these pieces. Estimates start at £150. In contrast, an Ayuthia bronze of Buddha from Thailand reflects more the Gupta style from India. It is 16th / 17th century, with an estimate of £1,000-£1,500. The Chinese section includes Kangxi (1662-1722) and Guangxu (1875 – 1908) pieces among the porcelain, one particular highlight is a pair of Chinese Guangxu (1875 – 1908) bowls and covers estimated at £2,500 - £3,500. In this section there is also 18th century celadon pieces, 19th century Chinese silver and 18th and 19th century Chinese jade. For beginner-collectors of Chinese works of art who may hesitate to buy at vertiginous heights there is scope to start here, estimates begin at £100 and go up to in the region of £3,000. The Indian paintings section begins with a very European looking 'British warships off an Italian coast', from Kutch, Western India, 18th century, estimated at £1,000-£1,500. The interest in Western prints amongst Indian artists resulting from increasing interaction with Europe is…
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