A gray schist relief of Surya atop his chariot, Ancient region of Gandhara, 3rd century

Costello Carvalho, Portugal, circa 1998.

Shahnaz Gallery, London.

The depiction of Surya, god of the sun, in Gandhara art and culture highlights the syncretic nature of religious and artistic influences in the region as well as the apparent cultural exchange and interaction between Indian, Greek, and Central Asian civilizations in the ancient world. Although quite different in form than the 10th-century example from Pala-period Northeastern India, in this sale, the iconography does not depart much from Indian examples. The god is flanked by Rajni and Nisprabha atop a chariot of seven horses. Although quite different in style, this relief is worth comparing to an example in the Art Institute of Chicago (accession no. 2016.57) which exhibits the same ancient iconography.