A SCHIST TORSO OF A BUDDHIST DONOR

ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY

ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY
21 in. (53.3 cm) high

犍陀羅 三/四世紀 片岩佛教供養人像

This torso of a Buddhist donor is carved with balanced proportions, a deft contrapposto, and elegant pleating. A container holding some prized commodity, like the aromatics Gandhara was famous for, is cradled before his chest. The care with which he supports it with both hands denotes the preciousness of its contents. The greater the expense of the donation, the more merit would be generated. Donor figures frequently accompany Buddha images in Gandharan friezes and sculptural ensembles. See Rochell, Realm of the Gods, March 2006, pp.5 & 6, no.5 for a close comparison. A number of other donor sculptures are published in Kurita, Gandharan Art, Vol. II, 2003, pp.201-9, most of which the present lot compares favorably to.

Provenance:
Collection of Lea and Richard L. Sneider, acquired in Karachi, 1962-65
Thence by descent to the present owners

Richard Lee Sneider (1922-86) was a distinguished U.S. Foreign Service Officer. He served as Political Counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Karachi, Pakistan between 1962-65. He went on to serve as the US Ambassador to Korea between 1974-78. After moving back to New York, his wife, Lea Sneider (1925-2020), became a renowned dealer of Japanese and Korean folk art and served on the Board of Directors of The Korea Society. Her collection of Korean art is bequeathed to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.