.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This figure of a bodhisattva is of impressive size and exceptional carving, allowing the garments to conceal even as they fully reveal the masterful modeling of the body beneath. This naturalistic attention to drapery is characteristic of the Gandharan period and drawn from the earlier Greco-Roman influence in the region. The figure's left knee is slightly bent, as if he has just taken a step forward, conveying a subtle yet powerful sense of moving closer to the viewer.
Stylistically, the present sculpture is similar to two smaller works in the Peshawar and Lahore Museums, each identified as Siddhartha (H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, New York, 1957, cat. no. 280-281), based on his youthful appearance, with the cascading locks of hair, princely jewelry and the ushnisha, representing the period in his life before he relinquished his worldly goods and became Buddha, the Enlightened One. Similar figures have also been more broadly identified as bodhisattvas, those who have achieved enlightenment but forgo nirvana (the escape from rebirth) to serve as guides for all sentient beings. In the Gandharan period, the most important of these figures were Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future. Each had defined iconography, and would likely have been worshipped alongside images of Buddha himself: Avalokiteshvara is distinguished by the flower he holds in his hand and usually wears a turban, while Maitreya holds a water pot and usually, but not always, wears his hair in a topknot. When he is born on Earth, Maitreya will be of Brahmin stock, and therefore will be dressed in the rich vestments similar to that of the historical Prince Siddhartha, including the jeweled foliate collar, a rope-work necklace with a makara-head pendant, and a cord with cylindrical amulet boxes. He is also robed in the ankle-length dhoti, secured around the waist with a knotted rope with pendant ties, and the heavier sanghati, open at the front to expose his muscular chest. Given the similarities between depictions of Maitreya and Prince Siddhartha, it is possible that the present figure could represent either.
Stylistically, the present sculpture is similar to two smaller works in the Peshawar and Lahore Museums, each identified as Siddhartha (H. Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan, New York, 1957, cat. no. 280-281), based on his youthful appearance, with the cascading locks of hair, princely jewelry and the ushnisha, representing the period in his life before he relinquished his worldly goods and became Buddha, the Enlightened One. Similar figures have also been more broadly identified as bodhisattvas, those who have achieved enlightenment but forgo nirvana (the escape from rebirth) to serve as guides for all sentient beings. In the Gandharan period, the most important of these figures were Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, and Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future. Each had defined iconography, and would likely have been worshipped alongside images of Buddha himself: Avalokiteshvara is distinguished by the flower he holds in his hand and usually wears a turban, while Maitreya holds a water pot and usually, but not always, wears his hair in a topknot. When he is born on Earth, Maitreya will be of Brahmin stock, and therefore will be dressed in the rich vestments similar to that of the historical Prince Siddhartha, including the jeweled foliate collar, a rope-work necklace with a makara-head pendant, and a cord with cylindrical amulet boxes. He is also robed in the ankle-length dhoti, secured around the waist with a knotted rope with pendant ties, and the heavier sanghati, open at the front to expose his muscular chest. Given the similarities between depictions of Maitreya and Prince Siddhartha, it is possible that the present figure could represent either.