Provenance Information

Jay C. Leff, Uniontown, PA, by 1972 [Allentown 1972, cat. 131]; sold, Sotheby’s, May 31, 1975, lot 387, to Crouch Gallery, Macomb, IL; sold to Patricia Brett Erens, Chicago, 1975 [invoice SWP-137 and correspondence and documentation from Patricia Brett Erens, Oct. 13, 2020; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.

Exhibition Information

Allentown, PA, Allentown Art Museum, Pre-Columbian Art of Mesoamerica from the Collection of Jay C. Leff, Feb. 12–Apr. 2, 1972, cat. 131.

Publication Information

Allentown Art Museum, Pre-Columbian Art of Mesoamerica from the Collection of Jay C. Leff, exh. cat. (Allentown, PA: Allentown Art Museum, 1972), 54-55, cat. 131, fig. 131 (ill.).

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

It is not currently possible to determine if the object originated within the United States or Mexico due to the absence of archaeological provenience and because Casas Grandes societies inhabited both sides of the present-day US-Mexico border. If the object originated in Mexico, provenance research allows the museum to make an informed judgment that the work was most likely in the United States by 1970. The object was acquired by Patricia Brett Erens, the donor, after June 1975, from Crouch Gallery in Macomb, IL, which had purchased it at public auction on May 31, 1975. The object was previously in the collection of Jay Leff, and had been publicly exhibited from February 1972 in Allentown as well as published in the accompanying catalog. Presumably, the object was in Leff’s possession for some period of time before it was exhibited, and the Art Institute of Chicago is unaware of any prior claims made against the work. As a border culture, Casas Grandes has often been overlooked by museums, and this vessel will help present a more diverse and inclusive understanding of Indigenous art in the Americas.

Provenance Information

Crouch Gallery, Macomb, IL, by 1975 [this and the following according to invoice SWP-75, July 3, 1975; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; sold to Patricia Brett Erens, Chicago, 1975; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

It is not currently possible to determine if the object originated within the United States or Mexico due to the absence of archaeological provenience and because Casas Grandes societies inhabited both sides of the present-day US-Mexico border. If the object originated in Mexico, provenance research allows the museum to make an informed judgment that the work was most likely in the United States by 1970. The object was acquired by Patricia Brett Erens, the donor, on July 3, 1975, according to the invoice from Crouch Gallery in Macomb, IL. Attempts to contact affiliates of the gallery for more information have not been successful. Presumably, however, it would have been in the possession of the gallery for a period of time before the sale. As a border culture, Casas Grandes has often been overlooked by museums, and this vessel will help present a more diverse and inclusive understanding of Indigenous art in the Americas.

Provenance Information

Private collection, Deming, NM, by 1973 [this and the following according to correspondence from private collector, Chicago, Apr. 22, 2021; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; sold to private collection, Chicago, after 1973; sold to Patricia Brett Erens, Chicago, Apr. 17, 1975 [receipt 9869, Apr. 17, 1975; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

It is not currently possible to determine if the object originated within the United States or Mexico due to the absence of archaeological provenience and because Casas Grandes societies inhabited both sides of the present-day US-Mexico border. If the object originated in Mexico, provenance research allows the museum to make an informed judgment that the work was most likely in the United States by 1970. The object was acquired in Chicago by Patricia Brett Erens, the donor, on April 17, 1975. It was formerly owned by another private collector in Chicago who has confirmed it was purchased from a previous private collector in Deming, NM, in 1973. The length of time that the object was in the private collection in Deming is not yet known. As a border culture, Casas Grandes has often been overlooked by museums, and this vessel will help present a more diverse and inclusive understanding of Indigenous art in the Americas.

Provenance Information

Private collection, Deming, NM, by 1973 [this and the following according to correspondence from private collector, Chicago, Apr. 22, 2021; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; sold to private collection, Chicago, 1973; sold to Patricia Brett Erens, Chicago, c. 1974 [correspondence and documentation from Patricia Brett Erens, Oct. 13. 2020; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

It is not currently possible to determine if the object originated within the United States or Mexico due to the absence of archaeological provenience and because Casas Grandes societies inhabited both sides of the present-day US-Mexico border. If the object originated in Mexico, provenance research allows the museum to make an informed judgment that the work was most likely in the United States by 1970. The object was acquired in Chicago by Patricia Brett Erens, the donor, by 1974. It was formerly owned by another private collector in Chicago who has confirmed it was purchased from a previous private collector in Deming, NM, in 1973. The length of time that the object was in the private collection in Deming is not yet known. As a border culture, Casas Grandes has often been overlooked by museums, and this vessel will help present a more diverse and inclusive understanding of Indigenous art in the Americas.

Provenance Information

Alexander–Suggs Gallery, Chicago, by Dec. 1975 [this and the following according to receipt, item A577, Dec. 27, 1975; copy in curatorial object file, Arts of the Americas]; sold to Patricia Brett Erens, Chicago, Dec. 27, 1975; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2021.

Exhibition Information

None

Publication Information

None

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

It is not currently possible to determine if the object originated within the United States or Mexico due to the absence of archaeological provenience and because Casas Grandes societies inhabited both sides of the present-day US-Mexico border. If the object originated in Mexico, provenance research allows the museum to make an informed judgment that the work was most likely in the United States by 1970. The object was acquired in Chicago by Patricia Brett Erens, the donor, by December 27, 1975, according to the invoice from the Alexander-Suggs satellite gallery in Chicago. Attempts to contact affiliates of the gallery for more information have not yet been successful. Presumably, however, it would have been in the possession of the gallery for a period of time before the sale, and possibly first at the main Alexander-Suggs Gallery in Saint Louis, MO. As a border culture, Casas Grandes has often been overlooked by museums, and this vessel will help present a more diverse and inclusive understanding of Indigenous art in the Americas.

Provenance Information

Purchased by Mr. James W. Alsdorf, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased the object is unknown; however, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by February, 1983. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. The Alsdorfs lent the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1983. Mrs. Marilynn Alsdorf signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2010 and gave the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019.

Exhibition Information

"Eternal Presence: Handprints and Footprints in Buddhist Art"–Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, New York (October 17, 2004–January 9, 2005); Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii (January 26–May 29, 2005); Rubin Museum of Art, New York, New York (June 14–September 4, 2005).
The object was on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, in the Indian and Southeast Asian Galleries 128–130 in McKinlock Court from November 22, 1984–August 2, 1994; in Gallery 152 from October 9, 1992–September 5, 2002; and in the Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan and Islamic Art, gallery 141, November 25, 2008–June 13, 2017.

Publication Information

Pal Pratapaditya with contributions by Stephen Little, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (The Art Institute of Chicago in association with Thames and Hudson, New York, New York, 1997), p. 293: cat. 99. Kathryn H. Selig Brown, Handprints and Footprints in Buddhist Art (Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, New York, 2005), p. 35: plate 2.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This acquisition falls within two exceptions: cumulative facts and circumstances as well as gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008. First, the cumulative facts and circumstances known to the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of the acquisition allowed it to make an informed judgement to acquire the object. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased the object is unknown, but based on the loan history, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by February 1983. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. The object was included in exhibitions in New York and Honolulu (2004–2005) and has been publicly displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago beginning in 1984, and again between 1992–2002 and 2008–2017. The object has been published in two major catalogs of South Asian art: A Collection Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (1997); and in Eternal Presence: Handprints and Footprints in Buddhist Art (2005). In addition, the acquisition furthers the representation of the artistic achievements of all civilizations in art museums because it represents one of the most revered objects within Buddhism: the footprints of the Buddha. This early example comes from the Andhra region of southern India, and appears to be the only one of its kind from this region in a public collection in the United States.

Second, the acquisition of the object was by gift and the object was on loan to the Art Institute prior to 2008. The Alsdorfs lent the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1983. Mrs. Alsdorf signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2010.

Provenance Information

Purchased by Mr. James A. Alsdorf, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; however, Mr. Aldorf acquired the object before his death in April 1990. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Aldorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. Mrs. Marilynn Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2002, and gave the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019.

Exhibition Information

"A Collection Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection"–The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (August 2–October 26, 1997); "In The Footsteps of Buddha. An Iconic Journey from India to China"–University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, Honk Kong, China (September 25–December 15, 1998). The object was on display at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, in the Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan and Islamic Art from November 25, 2008–June 13, 2017.

Publication Information

Pratapaditya Pal with contributions by Stephen Little, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (The Art Institute of Chicago in association with Thames and Hudson, New York, New York, 1997), p. 295, cat. 105 and plate p. 90. Rajeshwari Ghose, In the Footsteps of the Buddha: An Iconic Journey from India to China (University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China, 1998), p. 146, cat. 4. T.W. Rhys Davids, 1000 Buddhas of Genius (New York: Parkstone International, 2009), p. 122, no. 146.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This acquisition falls within two exceptions: cumulative facts and circumstances as well as gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008. First, the cumulative facts and circumstances known to the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of the acquisition allowed it to make an informed judgment to acquire the object. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; however, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object before his death in 1990. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. The object was included in exhibitions in Chicago (1997) and Hong Kong (1998) and has been publicly displayed from 2008 to 2017 at the Art Institute of Chicago. The object has been published in three books on South Asian Art: A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (1997); In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1998); and in 1000 Buddhas of Genius (2009). In addition, the acquisition furthers the representation of the artistic achievements of all civilizations in art museums because it represents a relatively early depiction of the Buddha from the Andhra region of South India of which there are few examples in public collections in the United States.

Second, the acquisition of the object was by gift and the object was promised to the Art Institute prior to 2008. Mrs. Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, and thereafter signed a promised agreement for the object in 2002.

Provenance Information

Jean Lions, Lima, Peru, mid- to late 1960s, then St. Tropez, France, by late 1960s; sold to David Bernstein Fine Art, New York, N.Y., 1975 [correspondence in curatorial file]; sold to Bettina Schwimmer, Chicago, IL, 1976 [correspondence in curatorial file]; bequeathed to the Art Institute of Chicago, 2016.

Exhibition Information

none known

Publication Information

none known

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Informed judgement that works were outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

This acquisition falls within two exceptions. First, based on the results of provenance research, the Art Institute of Chicago can make an informed judgment that the object was outside of the country of modern discovery before 1970. In 1975, David Bernstein of David Bernstein Fine Art, N.Y. acquired the object from Jean Lions. According to letters provided by Mr. Bernstein, copies of which are in the curatorial files, Mr. Lions acquired the object by the 1960s while serving in the French diplomatic corps in Lima, Peru; Mr. Lions returned to France by the late 1960s, bringing the object with him. Second, the object was promised to the Art Institute of Chicago prior to 2008. On November 7, 2006, Bettina Schwimmer executed a will that specifically provided for a bequest of the object to the Art Institute of Chicago. A signed and notarized copy of Ms. Schwimmer’s 2006 will is maintained in the curatorial files. The acquisition of this textile is of particular importance as it represents a distinct and unexpected aspect of the ancient Andean textile tradition that is lacking in the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection. Its acquisition allows the museum to present a work to its public that challenges assumptions concerning the nature of ancient Andean textile traditions.

Provenance Information

Purchased by Mr. James W. Alsdorf, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; however, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by 1983 when he placed it on long-term loan at the Art Institute of Chicago. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. Mrs. Marilynn Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2002, and gave the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016.

Exhibition Information

A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (August 2 – October 26, 1997).


The object has been displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, from March 2003 to October 2003.

Publication Information

Pal, Pratapaditya with contributions by Stephen Little, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago in association with Thames and Hudson, New York, (1997), p. 299: cat. 121 and plate p. 101.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Cumulative facts and circumstances.
Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008.
This acquisition falls within two exceptions. First, the cumulative facts and circumstances known to the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of the acquisition allowed it to make an informed judgment to acquire the object. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; however, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by 1983 when he placed it on long-term loan at the Art Institute of Chicago. Attempts to determine from whom Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object were unsuccessful. The object has been exhibited at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2003 and 1997 and published in a major catalogue of South Asian art: A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (1997). In addition, the acquisition furthers the representation of the artistic achievements of all civilizations in art museums because it represents the head of Buddha Shakyamuni from the Mon-Dvaravati culture that flourished in ancient Thailand and reveals the cultural interaction between India and Thailand in antiquity.
Second, the acquisition of the object was by gift and promised to the Art Insittute prior to 2008. Mrs Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997 and thereafter signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2002.

Provenance Information

Purchased by Mr. James W. Alsdorf, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; based on the exhibition history, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by 1978. Mr. Alsdorf may have acquired the object in 1968 from Otto Schoener, Germany, although attempts to determine this conclusively were unsucessful. Mrs. Marilynn Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2002, and gave the object to the Art Institute in 2016.

Exhibition Information

The Ideal Image, The Asia House Gallery, New York, Fall 1978, The Art Institute of Chicago, (March 24 – May 1979).

Light of Asia: Buddha Sakyamuni in Asian Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, (March 4 – May 20, 1984); The Art Institute of Chicago, (June 30 – August 26, 1984); The Brooklyn Museum, (November 1, 1984 – February 10, 1985).

A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois (August 2 – October 26, 1997).

In the Footsteps of the Buddha, University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong, China, (September 25 – December 15, 1998).

The object has been displayed at the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, from 1999 to 2005 and in the Alsdorf Galleries of Indian, Southeast Asian, Himalayan and Islamic Art, from December 2008 to the present.

Publication Information

Ghose, Rajeshwari, In the Footsteps of the Buddha: An Iconic Journey from India to China, Hong Kong: University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, (1998), Plate 44.

Little, Stephen, "Southeast Asian Sculptures from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection." Orientations 28, no. 7 (July – August 1997), p. 61: fig. 9.

Pal, Pratapaditya, “A Collecting Odyssey. Reflections on the Alsdorf Collection”. Arts of Asia, vol. 27, no. 5 (September – October 1997): fig. 17.

Pal, Pratapaditya with contributions by Stephen Little, A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection. Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago in association with Thames and Hudson, New York, (1997), p. 299, cat. 123, pl. p. 103.

Pal, Pratapaditya (organizer, with contributing authors), Light of Asia: Buddha Sakyamuni in Asian Art, Los Angeles county Museum of Art, (1984) p. 219.

Pal, Pratapaditya, The Ideal Image. NY: The Asia Society, (1978), Plate 83.

Section of the AAMD Guidelines relied upon for the exception to 1970

Cumulative facts and circumstances

Explain why the object fits the exception set forth above

Cumulative facts and circumstances.
Gift or bequest expected or on loan prior to 2008.
This acquisition falls within two exceptions. First, the cumulative facts and circumstances known to the Art Institute of Chicago at the time of the acquisition allowed it to make an informed judgment to acquire the object. The exact date that Mr. Alsdorf purchased this object is unknown; based on the exhibition history, Mr. Alsdorf acquired the object by 1978. Mr. Alsdorf may have acquired the object in 1968 from Otto Schoener, Germany, although attempts to determine this conclusively were unsucessful. The work was included in multiple exhibitions in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Hong Kong and has been publicly displayed from 1999 to 2005 and again since December 2008 at the Art Institute of Chicago. It has been published multiple times, including in three catalogues of South Asian art: Light of Asia (1984), A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art from the James and Marilynn Alsdorf Collection (1997); and In the Footsteps of the Buddha (1998). In addition, the acquisition furthers the representation of the artistic achievements of all civilizations in art museums because it is an important example of a bronze Buddha from the Mon-Dvaravati culture showing the interaction between India and Thailand in antiquity.
Second, the acquisition of the object was by gift and the object was promised to the Art Insittute prior to 2008. Mrs Alsdorf publicly promised the object to the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997 and thereafter signed a promised gift agreement for the object in 2002.