Maitreya is the last in the line of the historical Buddhas, who, it is believed, will be reborn in the future. Depicted in a seated position, this bodhisattva is identifiable  More »

Maitreya is the last in the line of the historical Buddhas, who, it is believed, will be reborn in the future. Depicted in a seated position, this bodhisattva is identifiable by the flask held in his left hand. In the frieze below Maitreya there are two donor figures who kneel either side of a lit fire. - (SF.057)   « Less

This small terracotta mould was used to produce impressions of the seated Buddha. The right hand is raised with the palm facing outwards in a gesture of reassurance or  More »

This small terracotta mould was used to produce impressions of the seated Buddha. The right hand is raised with the palm facing outwards in a gesture of reassurance or blessing. The left hand holds an alms bowl, a symbol of the monastic life, just below the chest. The head tilts forward slightly from the halo and the gaze is directed downwards. The impressions would have been highly portable and were probably used in private devotion by monks, lay people or travelling pilgrims. Although moulds of this kind would have been common during the early centuries of Buddhism, they very rarely survive. This piece offers a rare glimpse of the ritual paraphernelia employed during the early centuries of Buddhism.For a similar example see, The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art,(New York, 2007), p. 75, no. 57. - (SF.068)   « Less

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 BC to 300 AD Dimensions: 5.25" (13.3cm) wide Collection: Asian Art Style: Gandharan Medium: Schist

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 BC to 300 AD Dimensions: 5.25" (13.3cm) wide Collection: Asian Art Style: Gandharan Medium: Schist   « Less

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 BC to 300 AD Dimensions: 5.25" (13.3cm) high Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stone

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 BC to 300 AD Dimensions: 5.25" (13.3cm) high Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stone   « Less

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 1.60" (4.1cm) high x 1.2" (3.0cm) wide Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Terracotta

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 BC to 300 BC Dimensions: 1.60" (4.1cm) high x 1.2" (3.0cm) wide Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Terracotta   « Less

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 15.75" (40.0cm) high x 14.75" (37.5cm) wide Collection: Asian Style: Gandharan Medium: Schist

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 15.75" (40.0cm) high x 14.75" (37.5cm) wide Collection: Asian Style: Gandharan Medium: Schist   « Less

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stone

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 AD to 300 AD Dimensions: 5" (12.7cm) high x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide Collection: Asian art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stone   « Less

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 14.25" (36.2cm) high x 8" (20.3cm) wide Collection: Asian Art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stucco

Origin: Central Asia Circa: 100 AD to 400 AD Dimensions: 14.25" (36.2cm) high x 8" (20.3cm) wide Collection: Asian Art Style: Gandhara Medium: Stucco   « Less

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 AD to 500 AD Dimensions: 11.5" (29.2cm) high Collection: Asian Art Style: Ghandara Medium: Stone

Origin: Afghanistan Circa: 100 AD to 500 AD Dimensions: 11.5" (29.2cm) high Collection: Asian Art Style: Ghandara Medium: Stone   « Less

The ancient civilization of Gandhara was located in the region encompassing modern northeastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Situated at a confluence of trading  More »

The ancient civilization of Gandhara was located in the region encompassing modern northeastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. Situated at a confluence of trading paths along the Silk Route, the area was flooded in diverse cultural influences ranging from Greece to China. Gandhara flourished under the Kushan Dynasty and their great king, Kanishka, who is traditionally given credit for spreading the philosophies of Buddhism throughout central Asia and into China. This period is viewed as the most important era in the history of Buddhism. After the conquests of Alexander the Great, the creation of Greco-Bactrian kingdoms, and the general Hellenization of the subcontinent, Western aesthetics became prominent. Greek influence began permeating into Gandhara. Soon sculptors based the images of the Buddha on Greco-Roman models, depicting Him as a stocky and youthful Apollo, complete with stretched earlobes and loose monastic robes similar to a Roman toga. The extraordinary artistic creations of Gandhara reveal link between the different worlds of the East and West.This superb large standing bodhisattva is rendered in stucco with traces of the original polychromy. The left hand is raised in a gesture of blessing or reassurance. The right hand holds a slender object which may have been the stem of a lotus flower. The halo is tilted forward and frames the incredibly youthful and feminine face. The centrally parted ringlets are held in place by a headdress adorned with large stylised flowers. The facial features recall the influence of classical aesthetics on Gandharan craftsmen. The drapery falls over the figure’s left shoulder and crosses the lower body diagonally. The form of the knees is visible through the fabric. As on earlier examples in schist, the upper body is adorned with a wide torque and a diagonally draped string hung with amulets. The appeal of this piece lies above all in the grace of the posture and the serenity of the expression. - (AM.0394 )   « Less