Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Northern India, Gandhara / Kushan Empire, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A superb gray schist statue of the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, dressed like an Indian Prince, heavily adorned in noble finery: bejeweled turban headdress, layered necklaces, earrings, and layers of cascading robes. He holds the water pot, kundika, containing the elixir of life upon a pedestal carved with the with a relief lotus flower. This statue may have resided in a temple or shrine niche. Buddha was born to royal parents and was known as Prince Siddhartha but renounced his home life and the ephemeral pleasures of the material world to live as a wandering ascetic – he gained enlightenment while seated under a Bodhi tree. While Buddha had renounced material wealth the Gandhara nobles and wealthy merchant class were the primary patrons of art. Size: 4″ L x 6.2″ W x 17.8″ H (10.2 cm x 15.7 cm x 45.2 cm); 19.8″ H (50.3 cm) on included custom stand.
Gandharan sculpture became famous for the blend of Greco-Roman realism and Buddhist symbolism that is captured by this figure. A unique Indo-Greek culture arose after Alexander the Great’s conquest of Central Asia during the 3rd century BCE, and Hellenistic art continued to strongly influence the region and was sustained by the syncretic Kushan Empire well into the 4th century!
Condition: Missing proper right hand and some chipping and abrasions in areas, commensurate with age. Otherwise, very nice presentation with good remaining detail and rich earthen deposits in areas. Old collection label on base of custom stand.
Provenance: private Vero Beach, Florida, USA collection, acquired before 2003
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