Page 46 - Christies DEVOTION IN STONE Gandharan Art From a Japanese Collection Sept 23 2020 NYC

619
A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI
ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD-4TH CENTURY CE
38º in. (97.2 cm.) high

$300,000-500,000
PROVENANCE:
Private collection, Japan, before 1990.
Important private collection, Japan, by 1990.
LITERATURE:
I. Kurita, Gandharan Art, vol. II, Tokyo, 1990, p. 76, fig. 196.
With the growing popularity of Mahayana Buddhism in the early centuries of the
common era, large detached images of Buddha began to be sculpted alongside
narrative friezes. This superbly executed sculpture of Shakyamuni, the Buddha
who preached the first teachings of Buddhism, is characteristic of the high
point of Gandharan art, among the very best in terms of refinement in carving
and in an excellent state of preservation. His exquisitely carved face exudes the
quietude of enlightenment and introspection, the halo indicating the light of his
understanding and knowledge. The softly rounded cheeks nestling the rosebud
lips, with the contours casting gentle shadows, model the flawless structure of
the face, encapsulating the eternal youthfulness of the Buddha. Heavy eyelids
frame his almond-shaped eyes, the upper and lower lids nearly spherical to
emphasize the eyes, the pupils of which are incised. The undulating strands of
hair and curls of the topknot are finely detailed, and the long and slightly tilted
neck further enhances the elegance of the overall posture.

Based on Graeco-Roman prototypes, the sanghati delicately models his muscular
shoulders and elegantly drapes across his torso and rounded thighs, revealing
the softness of the flesh underneath. His right knee, bent in preparation to step
forward, is revealed through the undulating folds of his robe. The skillful modeling
of the body beneath the thin drapery distinguishes this figure among similar
Gandharan works. Compare with a work from the Peshawar Museum, illustrated
by H. Ingholt in Gandharan Art in Pakistan, New York, 1957, p. 111, fig. 207, in which
the body is modeled with thicker contours as seen in the deep folds of the robe
and stocky form beneath. In the present work, the drapery is softer, allowing the
body’s slender shape and elegant posture to emerge, enhancing the meditative
mood. The missing left hand would have been holding the folds of his sanghati
and the right hand would have been raised in abhaya mudra, which indicates
freedom from fear.
The sculptor has also skillfully referenced Buddha’s earlier history as Prince
Siddhartha by carving openings in the elongated earlobes where, as a prince,
he would have worn heavy jewelry. This detail reminds the viewer that, while the
Prince’s past was centered on excess, the absence of material goods – jewelry
and fine clothing – emphasizes the Buddha’s renunciation of worldly attachments.
Almost androgynous in appearance, the Buddha transcends gender, embodying
the perfect balance of masculinity and femininity. While activated with energy,
movement and life, the Buddha is simultaneously in a state of otherworldly
tranquility, and is a superlative example of Gandharan craftsmanship.

Cover and illustration from I. Kurita,Gandharan Art, vol. II, Tokyo, 1990, p. 76,
fig. 196.