Becker Antiques | Since 1969
Specialists in Chinese Art, Buddhist Sculpture, Himalayan Art and Tribal Art
Becker Antiques is a long-established Amsterdam gallery specializing in Asian and tribal art. Founded in 1969 by Jan Simon Becker, the gallery is located in Amsterdam’s Museum Quarter, a short walk from the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Concertgebouw. Our principal fields include Chinese ceramics and funerary pottery from the Han through the Ming dynasties, Buddhist sculpture, Chinese works of art, Himalayan art, Southeast Asian art and selected tribal art. For more than five decades, Becker Antiques has supplied private collectors, dealers and museums worldwide, with a strong emphasis on quality, provenance and specialist knowledge.
An Important Imperial Gilt-Bronze Figure of Avalokitesvara
Qing Dynasty, Yongzheng Mark and Period (1723–1735)
An exceptionally refined imperial gilt-bronze figure of Avalokitesvara, finely cast and richly gilded, bearing a seven-character Yongzheng inscription. The bodhisattva is seated in vajraparyankasana on a finely modelled double-lotus pedestal, with the principal hands joined in namaskara and the secondary hands raised gracefully to either side. The serene expression, elegant proportions and finely detailed jewellery, crown and garments reflect the exceptional craftsmanship of the Yongzheng period. A small image of Amitabha Buddha surmounts the crown, identifying the deity as Avalokitesvara. The reverse bears the inscription Da Qing Yongzheng nian jing zao. The figure was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2014, lot 3059.
Museum Collections
A Qingbai cup and stand from the Song dynasty, formerly in the Becker Antiques collection, is now part of the permanent collection of The Norton Museum of Art.
Recent Acquisitions
Imperial Gilt-Bronze Avalokitesvara
Imperial Gilt-Bronze Avalokitesvara An Important Imperial Gilt-Bronze Figure of AvalokitesvaraChina, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng mark and period (1723–1735)Height: 16 cm This important imperial gilt-bronze figure represents Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion,...
Narasimha Killing Hiranyakashipu
Narasimha Killing Hiranyakashipu A Fragmentary Black Stone Stele Depicting Narasimha Killing HiranyakashipuEastern India or Bangladesh, Pala period, 12th centuryHeight: 55 cm This impressive fragmentary black stone stele depicts one of the most dramatic episodes in...
Manjushri Gilt-Bronze, Yongle Period Ming
Manjushri Gilt-Bronze, Yongle Period Ming Manjushri Gilt-Bronze, Yongle Period Ming. The bodhisattva is finely cast seated in dhyanasana upon a double-lotus base, the hands held in dharmachakra mudra while delicately grasping the tips of lotus stems rising to blossom...
Chinese Huali Scholar’s Table
Chinese Huali Scholar’s Table China, Late 19th CenturySize: 87 × 122 × 44 cm This refined scholar’s table, crafted in richly figured huali hardwood, represents the enduring elegance of late Qing dynasty furniture design. Combining disciplined architectural structure...
Northern Qi Pottery Horse
Northern Qi Pottery Horse China, Northern Qi Dynasty (550–577 AD)Height: 60 cm | Width: 42 cmThermoluminescence Test: PassedProvenance: Private Collection, Hong Kong; thence Netherlands This monumental Northern Qi pottery horse from the Northern Qi dynasty (550–577...
Monumental Tibetan Bronze Ratnasambhava
Monumental Tibetan Bronze Ratnasambhava Monumental Tibetan Bronze Ratnasambhava. This impressive and finely cast bronze figure represents Ratnasambhava, the Buddha of the South and the embodiment of equanimity and generosity, one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas central to...
STRAW-GLAZED POTTERY CAMEL
S O L D STRAW-GLAZED POTTERY CAMEL This fine example of Tang dynasty pottery would have been made for the tombs of the Tang elite. Such figures, which would have been very expensive to purchase, provided an obvious indication of the wealth of a family who could...
Japanese Parcel-Gilt Kannon
Large Japanese Parcel-Gilt Bronze Figure of Kannon Bosatsu By Takamura Kōun (1852–1934), Meiji Period (circa 1890–1910)Bronze with parcel gilding | Height: 59 cm | Weight: 6.4 kg An outstanding and finely cast Japanese bronze figure of Kannon Bosatsu, also known as...
Relief of Varāha
Relief of Varāha (the Boar incarnation of Viṣṇu) S O L D Material: Buff sandstoneDimensions: H. 67 cm; W. 36 cmDate: c. 975–1050 CECulture: Chandella period, Central India (Khajuraho region, Bundelkhand) Description The relief depicts Viṣṇu in his boar incarnation,...
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