- 8
Centaur Gray schist Gandhara
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Description
- Centaur
- Gray schist
- height 17 in. (43.2 cm.)
An exceptionally rare figure of a centaur, standing with his head turned to the right, holding a pair of cymbals in his hands.
Literature
Isao Kurita, Gandharan Art II: The World of the Buddha, Japan, 2003, p. 235, pl. 705 & 706
Catalogue Note
In the Greek and Roman traditions, centaurs were associated with the cult of Dionysius and Bacchus where they are depicted in processional pageants. While it is known that this cult was popular in the early Gandharan era, and the appearance of Hellenistic figures such as Heracles and Atlas is common in Gandharan art, it is rare to find such a fine sculptural example of a centaur.