Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Northern India, Gandhara / Kushan Empire, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A stunning figural panel hand-carved in high relief from gray schist, depicting three women and a man, all sumptuously dressed. This sculpture was once part of a high relief frieze, probably gracing a temple or palace wall and may represent a court scene, or possibly attendants to the Buddha, as religious worship was a common scene in Gandharan art. The figures all look to their left, perhaps viewing an important scene from the Buddhaís life that was surrounded by worshipers and devotees. Size: 7.5" L x 3" W x 13" H (19 cm x 7.6 cm x 33 cm); 15" H (38.1 cm) on included custom stand.

The Gandharan Empire made itself wealthy in part by controlling lucrative trade along the mountain passes between China in the East and the Near East and Mediterranean in the West; a great deal of this wealth went into local patronage of artisans and art. In the first century CE, Buddhism became fashionable amongst Gandharan elites, and the art produced at this time included some of the most striking Buddhist images. Gandharan sculpture became famous for the blend of Greco-Roman realism and Buddhist symbolism that is captured by this figure. A unique Indo-Greek culture arose after Alexander the Great's conquest of Central Asia during the 3rd century BCE, and Hellenistic art continued to strongly influence the region and was sustained by the syncretic Kushan Empire well into the 4th century!

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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#179483

Fragment from a larger piece and repaired. Head on male figure reattached. Old losses and abrasions to arms, legs, faces, and other high pointed areas on the figures. Heavy mineral and earthen encrustations on surfaces.