A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF THE STANDING BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY
A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF THE STANDING BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY
Kushan period. Finely carved standing in samabhanga on a rectangular plinth, he is dressed in voluminous robes draped across both shoulders, naturalistically detailed with U-shaped folds that reveal the contours of his powerful body, while his right hand holds the sleeve of his robe. The face sensitively modeled with a benevolent expression and heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, rosebud mouth, and full cheeks flanked by elongated earlobes. The hair arranged in wavy locks rising over the ushnisha.
Provenance: Astamangala Gallery, Amsterdam.
Sjoerd de Vries (1952-2025) was a renowned Dutch art historian, Tibetologist, and dealer of Himalayan art. In 1979, he founded Astamangala, the only gallery in the Netherlands specializing in the ancient art of Tibet, Nepal, and India. Over his long and successful career, he sold works to numerous major museums including the Metropolitan, Rubin, LACMA, British, Victoria & Albert, Guimet, and Rietberg. A respected author, de Vries wrote Buddhism for Beginners (1994) and Hinduism for Beginners (1996). As a guest curator at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, he arranged the 2009 installation of an authentic Tibetan temple, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, obvious losses, small chips, scattered nicks, and scratches.
Weight: 2.9 kg
Dimensions: Height 32.5 cm
Literature comparison:
Compare a related gray schist figure of Buddha, Ancient Region of Gandhara, 2nd-3rd century, 28 cm tall, in the British Museum, museum number 1937,0716.156.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 19 September 2002, lot 9
Price: USD 15,535 or approx.
EUR 24,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Small Gray Schist Figure of a Standing Buddha, Gandhara, 2nd/3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, condition, and size (37.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 20 March 2024, lot 535
Price: USD 6,300 or approx.
EUR 5,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small gray schist figure of Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara, 3rd-4th century CE
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and condition. Note the size (24.8 cm).
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A GRAY SCHIST FIGURE OF THE STANDING BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY
Kushan period. Finely carved standing in samabhanga on a rectangular plinth, he is dressed in voluminous robes draped across both shoulders, naturalistically detailed with U-shaped folds that reveal the contours of his powerful body, while his right hand holds the sleeve of his robe. The face sensitively modeled with a benevolent expression and heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, rosebud mouth, and full cheeks flanked by elongated earlobes. The hair arranged in wavy locks rising over the ushnisha.
Provenance: Astamangala Gallery, Amsterdam.
Sjoerd de Vries (1952-2025) was a renowned Dutch art historian, Tibetologist, and dealer of Himalayan art. In 1979, he founded Astamangala, the only gallery in the Netherlands specializing in the ancient art of Tibet, Nepal, and India. Over his long and successful career, he sold works to numerous major museums including the Metropolitan, Rubin, LACMA, British, Victoria & Albert, Guimet, and Rietberg. A respected author, de Vries wrote Buddhism for Beginners (1994) and Hinduism for Beginners (1996). As a guest curator at the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, he arranged the 2009 installation of an authentic Tibetan temple, inaugurated by the Dalai Lama.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, obvious losses, small chips, scattered nicks, and scratches.
Weight: 2.9 kg
Dimensions: Height 32.5 cm
Literature comparison:
Compare a related gray schist figure of Buddha, Ancient Region of Gandhara, 2nd-3rd century, 28 cm tall, in the British Museum, museum number 1937,0716.156.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 19 September 2002, lot 9
Price: USD 15,535 or approx.
EUR 24,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Small Gray Schist Figure of a Standing Buddha, Gandhara, 2nd/3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, condition, and size (37.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 20 March 2024, lot 535
Price: USD 6,300 or approx.
EUR 5,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small gray schist figure of Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara, 3rd-4th century CE
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and condition. Note the size (24.8 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
