ANCIENNE REGION DU GANDHARA, IIEME-IIIEME SIECLE

This standing Buddha figure exemplifies the mastery of the artist at a time when Buddhist stone sculpture in the region was at its most refined. The corporal solidity of this figure gives him the prominence of a singular, independent figure. He has a peaceful expression and his wavy hair is pulled back from his oval face. The monastic garments are draped across both shoulders, hanging naturalistically in folds that reveal the contours of the body. The faithful rendering of the deeply carved folds of the garment, the face, and the ripples of the hair are particularly exquisite and testify to the skill of the sculptor.
The growing popularity of Mahayana Buddhism in religious practice and artistic patronage in the Gandharan region around the 2nd century AD inspired the creation of large, detached sculpted images set alongside narrative friezes.