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3. Bust of Bodhisattva Gandhara 2nd c.- 3rd c. schist 15 inches |
A figure of great nobility, the Bodhisattva wears on his naked torso necklaces typical of Gandhara: a flat circular necklace around the neck with a central four-petaled floral design originally made of precious or semi-precious gems, two cords tossed on the right side of the body and a cabochon necklace with two zoomorphic figures. His thick wavy hair is pulled into a bun at the top of his head, forming a slight cranial protuberance, and is tied up with a bow on the side from which hair falls in large curls. He is crowned with a diadem with a double string of pearls and decorated with a five-petaled flower. On his ears he wears drop earrings, part of which is no longer visible. Were they shaped like a lion, a design often seen on the Bodhisattvas? The urna, located above the eyebrows, is associated with the third eye and symbolizes omniscience. The attributes of this Bodhisattva do not enable us to identify it as being Maitreya, the future Buddha, but his princely appearance is similar. This work is a wonderful example of Gandhara art, classified as Greco-Buddhist, whose prime region (lying in today’s Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan) was the centre of commercial and cultural exchange between Asia, India and the West. Provenance: Private collection, Japan |