Page 90 - Bonhams NYC Indian and Himalayan Art March 2019

881
A SCHIST FIGURE OF BUDDHA
ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, CIRCA 3RD CENTURY
26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm) high
$60,000 - 80,000
犍陀羅 約三世紀 片巖佛像

Finely modeled in the classic Gandharan style, Buddha appears before his worshippers
with a compassionate yet determined expression. His enlightened nature is expressed
through the flawless rendition of his physiognomy – his youthful and perfectly smooth
face, his straight and prominent nose, and his impeccably carved wavy hair radiating
from the center of the hairline.

The ancient region of Gandhara was once an important center for trade and religious
activities. Carved stone monuments and iconic statuary were created for Buddhist
patrons while drawing on Greco-Roman sculptural traditions. The present work is one
such example, incorporating the emphasis on naturalism, seen in the treatment of his
heavy monastic robe wrapping around his neck in thick layers and forming U-shaped
folds on his legs with a convincing sense of gravity.

The figure was once affixed to a Buddhist monument, generally the original architectural
context of most Gandharan sculpture, as indicated by the two anchor holes on its base.
Compare to another standing Gandharan Buddha sold at Bonhams, Hong Kong, 29
November 2016, lot 112. Also see a similar example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
(Behrendt, The Art of Gandhara, New York, 2007, p.51, no.40).

Published
Oriental Art, Summer, 1957, Vol. III, No. 2, p.72.

Provenance
Sotheby’s London, 3rd December 1956, lot 42
Vérité Collection, France, 1956-2009
Drouot, Paris, 18 October 2009, lot 4

88 | BONHAMS