REGION DU GANDHARA, IIIEME SIECLE

Details

TETE DE BODHISATTVA EN SCHISTE GRIS
REGION DU GANDHARA, IIIEME SIECLE
The head is carved with a serene facial expression, heavily lidded downcast eyes below arched eyebrows running into his nose bridge. His forehead shows the urna and his lips are framed by a moustache. His hair is combed in a chignon and covered with a turban decorated with a pair of lions, and makara heads issuing ribbons.
17 ½ (44.5 cm.) high, stand

Provenance

With Allan and Karen Beagle, London, 27 July 1994.

Further details

A MONUMENTAL GREY SCHIST HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA
GANDHARA REGION, 3RD CENTURY

Sale room notice

This Lot is Withdrawn.

Brought to you by

Fiona Braslau

fbraslau@christies.com 01 40 76 84 22

Lot Essay

As his sumptuous bejewelled turban is lacking an identifying attribute, this fine head can only be referred to as representing a Bodhisattva. The turban is decorated with lions, makaras issuing various strings set with jewels, and gems. Kurt A. Behrendt in The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 2007, plate 41, published a similar decorated Bodhisattva bust. On page 53, he convincingly argues that this type most likely represents the Buddha as Bodhisattva prior to his Enlightenment and still showing him as a northern Indian prince.

More from Art d'Asie

View All