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A SCHIST FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA A SCHIST HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA
Ancient region of Gandhara, circa 4th century Ancient region of Gandhara, 3rd/4th century
Standing slightly flexed with right knee bent forward, his robe fastened The stone’s grains gently heightens the soft contours of his face,
around his waist by knotted rope, its folds cascading across his his eyelids crisply carved accentuating their depth, his hair finished
muscular form and pooling by his ankles, in his right hand he holds with a flourish of curls above his left ear.
a wreath, and his face bears a quite, confident expression. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm) high
16 in. (40.6 cm) high $15,000 - 20,000
$15,000 - 20,000
健陀羅 三／四世紀 片巖菩薩頭像
健陀羅 約四世紀 片巖觀音像
This superbly modeled head has the distinctive square-knot chignon
Identified by his size and the wreath in this hand, this figure would associated with Maitreya in Gandharan art, as featured on a closely
have flanked the right side of a preaching Buddha, reflected in related figure held in the Lahore Museum (see Rehmani, Masterpieces
a stylistically related triad published in Ingholt, Gandharan Art of Lahore Museum, Lahore, 1999, p. 18, no. 12). Three other
in Pakistan, New York, 1957, pp. 120-1 & no. 254. Miyaji has examples are published in Ingholt, Gandharan Art in Pakistan,
demonstrated in his study of twenty such panels that, as part of the New York, 1957, nos. 294-6.
Buddhist triad, these garland-holding figures can be more concretely
identified as Avalokiteshvara (“Iconography of the Two Flanking It is often colloquially referred to as the Appolline haircut as it bears
Bodhisattvas in the Buddhist Triads from Gandhara”, in East and obvious similarity to the celebrated classical sculpture, Apollo
West, vol. 58, no 1/4, December 2008, pp. 123-56). As such, they Belverdere (or Pythian Apollo), held in the Vatican Museum, Rome (see
likely serve as the iconographic precedent for the Avalokiteshvara Bieber, The Sculpture of the Hellenistic Age, New York, 1961, fig. 200).
Padmapani (‘lotus holder’) first mentioned in later Mahayana texts and
ubiquitous throughout Pala and Early Himalayan art. Provenance
Christie’s, New York, 22 March 2000, lot 2
Provenance Private American Collection
Private French Collection, 1970-2008
Sotheby’s, New York, 19 September 2008, lot 262
Private American Collection
INDIAN, HIMALAYAN & SOUTHEAST ASIAN ART | 97
