Bodhisattva Gray schist Ancient Region of Gandhara, Kushan Period

The torso of a bodhisattva emerging from the pipal leaves of the Bo Tree, depicted to resemble an Indian prince and wearing an ornamented turban with a central crest. Two twisted, jeweled bands radiate from a central faceted bead and encircle the head, with a large loop of fabric at the back. The crest, a circular form of radiating pleats, contains a central motif of a lions head spewing pearls from its mouth. The figure faces to its left and looks down, his face has a gentle expression, the eyes open and alert, the arched eyebrows meeting at a point above the straight nose and a moustache above the slightly smiling lips. He wears elaborate necklaces including a collar set with rectangular stones, and two multi-stranded bead necklaces one of which would have culminated in a large decorative finial, the remains of which can be seen. He wears a bracelet on his left wrist consisting of a band from which emanate leaf-shaped elements and long earrings consisting of a group of strung beads emerging from a flower motif. A scarf covers his left shoulder and sweeps around his waist where he holds it open to reveal many tiny flower heads.

Private Japanese Collection.

Kurita, I.; Gandharan Art II, The World of the Buddha, Japan, 1990, p. 71, fig. 183.

This is an architectural fragment possibly from a stupa and would probably have formed part of a larger frieze depicting a scene from the life of the Buddha. The carrying of tiny flowers is an occasional feature in Gandhara art and refers to the worship and adoration of the Buddha where the devotee would place the flowers at the Buddha’s feet. This sculpture can be compared to a stucco figure in the Musee Guimet, Paris, published Kurita, I.; Gandharan Art II, The World of the Buddha, Japan, 1990, p. 11, fig. 11.