Page 40 - Indian and Himilayan Art

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE DUTCH COLLECTION

229 The present fgure is extraordinarily large and beautifully carved,
A MONUMENTAL GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF making it one of the most rare Gandharan fgures in circulation.
A BODHISATTVA Note how the diaphanous dhoti falls in thin pleats against the lower
GANDHARA, 2ND/3RD CENTURY body, subtly outlining the frm legs and bent left knee. In contrast,
the voluminous shawl is wrapped over the left shoulder, dipping
78æ in. (200 cm.) high artfully across the thighs and then rising up to wrap around the right
arm, displaying the artist’s mastery of the medium as he describes
$600,000-800,000 the softness of the drapery against the well-defned fesh. The
muscular torso has a naturalistic sense of defnition and depth,
PROVENANCE: further enhanced by the intricately detailed necklaces and amulets,
and fully embodying the virility of youth. His handsome, youthful
Acquired from Sotheby’s London, 27 April 1995, face has a moustache, indicating his accumulated wisdom, and he is
lot 188. crowned with an elaborate jeweled turban, signifying his royal stature.
The artist has also taken great care to render magnifcent details of
ornamentation. The fat torque at the neck is composed of numerous
small elements, and the beads on the multi-stranded necklaces are
fnely and lavishly rendered.

This fgure compares favorably with a well-known example of a
Bodhisattva formerly in the Heeramaneck Collection, and now on view
at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (M.83.105.1, published in
A. Heeramaneck, Masterpieces of Indian Sculpture from the Former
Collection of Nasli M. Heeramaneck, Italy, 1979, cat.no.11, and P. Pal,
Indian Sculpture Vol. 1, Los Angeles, 1986, p.167, cat.no.S45, illustrated
below). Comparing the two shows the present fgure to be taller and
more naturalistically described; for example, note how the present
fgure’s broad shoulders slope gently in a realistic manner.

The left forearm of the present example is missing, however based
on the insertion points in the arm and directly below, one can be
reasonably sure this arm was lowered and holding something –
either a waterpot, identifying him as Maitreya, or a garland, as
with the Heeramanack example, which Dr. Pal has identifed as
Avalokiteshvara. With majestic poise, the present bodhisattva stands
as a classic example of the highly-skilled carving for which Gandharan
sculptors from this period are known.

P. Pal, Indian Sculpture Vol. 1, Los Angeles,
1986, p.167, cat.no.S45