.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
With the water vessel held pendent in the proper left hand, this figure almost certainly represents the bodhisattva, Maitreya. This identification is reinforced by the hairstyle, which in the Gandharan context is generally reserved for this bodhisattva. Maitreya is considered the Buddha of the future - when the dharma is forgotten on Earth, he will descend from the Tushita Heaven to be born in our realm as the next Buddha. His iconic water vessel, the kumbha, is found in many different contexts within Indian sculpture, but is almost always a symbol of fertility and life. It is an apt visual icon, therefore, for Maitreya's role as a progenitor of future peace and order.
When he is born on Earth, Maitreya will be of brahmin stock. He is dressed, therefore, in the rich garb similar to that of the historical Buddha, prior to his renunciation of worldly life. His vestments include a foliate torc, a garland-form necklace, and a cord with cylindrical amulet boxes, of a type still in use in South Asia. He is robed in a dhoti with a heavier sanghati draped over the shoulders, open at the front to expose his muscular chest. Both display the naturalistic attention to drapery characteristic of the Gandharan period that is held over from the earlier Greco-Roman influence in the region.
In the present work, the bodhisattva sits on a cushioned throne with an articulated diaper-pattern hem over short, lathe-turned legs. The front of the throne is masterfully carved to indicate stretched drapery hanging between the throne legs, and a bowl, perhaps emitting incense, is indicated. The figure is carved with robust musculature, particularly in the abdomen, as if the torso was filled with yogic energy, and the proper right hand is depicted with webbed fingers as befitting an enlightened being. The well-preserved face is carved with a youthful fullness of the cheek, large, almond-shaped eyes, and sinuously-curved brows. Among the stylistic flourishes found in this unusual example include the garland necklace joined by putti-form clasps supporting a central faceted jewel; the bottle vase carved with a raised and ornate beadwork-design; the inclusion of a crescent moon in the beaded headband securing the topknot of hair; and the ring tied around the end of the pendent sash that hangs languidly over the left wrist.
When he is born on Earth, Maitreya will be of brahmin stock. He is dressed, therefore, in the rich garb similar to that of the historical Buddha, prior to his renunciation of worldly life. His vestments include a foliate torc, a garland-form necklace, and a cord with cylindrical amulet boxes, of a type still in use in South Asia. He is robed in a dhoti with a heavier sanghati draped over the shoulders, open at the front to expose his muscular chest. Both display the naturalistic attention to drapery characteristic of the Gandharan period that is held over from the earlier Greco-Roman influence in the region.
In the present work, the bodhisattva sits on a cushioned throne with an articulated diaper-pattern hem over short, lathe-turned legs. The front of the throne is masterfully carved to indicate stretched drapery hanging between the throne legs, and a bowl, perhaps emitting incense, is indicated. The figure is carved with robust musculature, particularly in the abdomen, as if the torso was filled with yogic energy, and the proper right hand is depicted with webbed fingers as befitting an enlightened being. The well-preserved face is carved with a youthful fullness of the cheek, large, almond-shaped eyes, and sinuously-curved brows. Among the stylistic flourishes found in this unusual example include the garland necklace joined by putti-form clasps supporting a central faceted jewel; the bottle vase carved with a raised and ornate beadwork-design; the inclusion of a crescent moon in the beaded headband securing the topknot of hair; and the ring tied around the end of the pendent sash that hangs languidly over the left wrist.