Gandhara, 2nd/3rd century

The two devotees kneeling on either side of this beautifully carved figure of Buddha are extremely rare. These figures are backed by halos, denoting their divine status as Indra and Brahma. While narrative scenes are usually relegated to the base or to accompanying friezes, there are few examples in which narrative figures accompany the main figure in the same plane. The proportions and style of the devotees can be compared to those in a figure of Maitreya at the British Museum (1904.12-17.1: see W. Zwalf, A Catalogue of the Gandhara Sculpture in the British Museum, London, Vol I pp.99-100, Vol II p.40, fig. 55).