ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD-4TH CENTURY CE

This present figure of Buddha Shakyamuni is beautifully carved, with layered drapery revealing the masterful modeling of the body beneath. The naturalistic attention to the robes is characteristic of the Gandharan period and drawn from the earlier Graeco-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 sense of approaching the viewer.
Compare the present figure with a similarly scaled example at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no. 67.154.5). The physiognomy is similarly carved; the proportions of the facial features are alike, and the legs are modeled in the round beneath the drapery, with low bellies that protrude slightly. The configurations of the bases are also similar, although the present figure has devotees attending to a burning censor in place of Buddha, who is fully represented in The Metropolitan Museum of Art example.