A rare gray schist double-sided lion support

GANDHARA, 2ND/3RD CENTURY

Details

A rare gray schist double-sided lion support
Gandhara, 2nd/3rd century
Finely and expressively carved with two addorsed lions standing foursquare, with gaping mouths and curled manes, the body smoothly finished
9¾ in. (24.7 cm.) wide

Lot Essay

Lions generally flank the base of Buddha's throne. This is a unique double-lion support and in very good state of preservation.
For a larger crouching lion, with similar treatment of the mane and smooth finish in the round, see T. Katsumi et. al., Gandhara and Silk Road Arts, The Hirayama Ikuo Collection, 2002, cat. no. 162, p. 84.

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