Celestial Drummer

Object Details

Provenance

?-1994

J. J. Klejman (1906-1995), method of acquisition unknown [1]

1994

Sale, New York, NY, Sotheby's, “Indian and Southeast Asian Art,” June 4, 1994, lot 83 [2]

1994-1995

Kapoor Galleries, Inc., New York, NY, probably purchased at June 4, 1994, Sotheby’s Sale, New York [3]

From 1995

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchased from Kapoor Galleries, Inc. [4]

Notes:

[1] See Sotheby’s, “Indian and Southeast Asian Art” [auction catalogue], (New York: Sotheby’s, June 4, 1994), lot 83, ill.

J. J. Klejman (born John J. Klejman) (1906-1995) was a Polish-Jewish dealer

active in pre-World War II Warsaw, Poland. At the end of the World War II, Klejman left Poland and in 1950 he established himself in New York, NY where he owned a gallery specializing in Roman, Greek, and Byzantine art as well as Asian art and African art, located at Madison Avenue and 76th Street. During his career he worked with major US museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as with European collectors. Around 1974 or 1975 Klejman retired and sold objects from his inventory at public auctions, primarily through Sotheby’s New York office.

[2] See note 1. The sculpture was sold as a pair described as “A Pair of Indian Marble Bracket Figures.”

[3] See “Incoming Receipt,” dated December 1, 1994, copy in object file. The sculpture was transferred from the Kapoor Galleries, Inc., to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery for acquisition consideration on December 1, 1994.

See also invoice from Kapoor Galleries, Inc., issued by Ramesh C. Kapoor, dated November 21, 1994, copy in object file.

Kapoor Galleries, Inc., is a dealer in New York, NY, founded in 1975 by Ramesh Kapoor and Urmil Kapoor and later joined by Ramesh's son, Suneet Kapoor. Kapoor Galleries, Inc., specializes in art from India

and the Himalayas, specifically bronzes, sculptures, miniatures, and thangkas. Clients of Kapoor Galleries, Inc., have included private collectors and institutions. Ramesh Kapoor has been active as an art dealer since 1958.

[4] See Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, “Acquisition Consideration Form,” approved on February 15, 1995, copy in object file.

Research updated May 8, 2024

Collection

National Museum of Asian Art Collection

Exhibition History

Sculpture of South Asia and the Himalayas (May 4, 1988 to July 9, 2017)

Previous custodian or owner

J.J. Klejman (1906-1995)

Kapoor Galleries, Inc. (established 1975)

Credit Line

Purchase — Smithsonian Unrestricted Trust Funds

ca. 13th century

Accession Number

S1995.89

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Type

Sculpture

Medium

Marble

Dimensions

H x W x D: 86 x 25.5 x 17.4 cm (33 7/8 x 10 1/16 x 6 7/8 in)

Origin

Western India

Related Online Resources

Google Cultural Institute

See more items in

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Topic

stone

woman

drum

India

South Asian and Himalayan Art

Record ID

fsg_S1995.89

Metadata Usage (text)

Not determined

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3eeee5313-99ae-453a-b529-2f5cdbceefa7