A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY

A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY

Kushan period. Finely carved, standing upright with his left hand lowered and clutching the hem of his voluminous robe draped over both shoulders, the folds falling in measured, rhythmic lines. The face is characterized by a bow-shaped mouth, an aquiline nose, and large almond-shaped eyes under the raised urna, flanked by pendulous ears. Wavy locks of hair are drawn upward over the ushnisha.

Provenance: From the private collection of Marie Louise Alexienne Vanleew (1929-2024), Belgium, acquired in the early 1970s and thence by direct descent to her grandson, the present owner of this lot. A copy of a corresponding provenance letter, issued by the present owner of the lot, will be handed to the winning bidder after full payment has been received.

Condition: Good condition with expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, obvious losses, chips, nicks.

Weight: 36.3 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 72 cm (excl. stand), 77.2 cm (incl. stand)

Mounted on an associated stand. (2)

With universal appeal among collectors, the Gandharan style is a fascinating and accomplished idiom, testament to the cross-cultural origins and early spread of Buddhist art. Created by ateliers working in the Greco-Roman style that populated the region following Alexander the Great's invasion of modern-day Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Western China in 327 BC, they drew on Mediterranean sculptural traditions when catering to the demand from local Buddhist communities for carved stone monuments and iconic statuary. The Gandharan style, in turn, formed the precedent for the earliest Buddhist images in China, via contact and exchange across Central Asian trade routes.

The ancient region of Gandhara, which spanned modern-day northwest Pakistan and southern Afghanistan, was home to a vibrant, cosmopolitan civilization situated at the crossroads of international trade networks linking South Asia, Central Asia, China, and the Mediterranean. Because of its verdant terrain and lucrative trade position, the region fell repeatedly to foreign raids and invaders. The Kushans, originally from Central Asia and already having incorporated elements of Greek culture, established themselves in Gandhara in the early first century CE. Under the Kushan ruler Kanishka (127-151 CE), Gandharan Buddhist art and architecture flourished, resulting in the creation of some of the earliest iconic images of the historical Buddha, such as the present statue.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related schist figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, dated to Kushan period, 2nd-3rd century, 53.6 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1892,0801.2.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's New York, 20 June 2017, lot 194
Price: EUR 230,500 or approx.

EUR 280,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An important grey schist figure of Buddha Shakyamuni, Ancient Gandhara Region, 2nd-3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling, manner of carving, stone, and subject, with similar expression, hair, garment folds, and size (75 cm).

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