**Originally Listed At $300**

Central Asia, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, Gandharan Empire, ca. 1st century CE. A sensitive, peaceful stucco head of Buddha with almond-shaped eyes and heavy lids, a naturalistic nose, and a mouth with full lips and dimpled corners. The face is underneath a thick, heart-shaped hairline, while a textured surface above creates realistic hair with a bun-shaped ushnisha. 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 depicting the Buddha includes some of the most striking Buddhist images from the past. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 2.875" W x 3.875" H (7.3 cm x 9.8 cm); 6.625" H (16.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#135343

This head is a fragment of a larger figure or sculpture. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, minor fading to some finer details, small nicks and chips to face, hair, and peripheries, and light roughness across most surfaces. Nice earthen deposits throughout. Drilled on verso for mounting.