3th-4th century AD. A grey stucco head of a bodhisattva with traces of pink pigment, elaborate curled hairstyle with circlet to the brow and lateral scrolled plaques; mounted on a custom-made stand. The Remains of Happiness, The Dr. & Mrs Kurokawa Collection, vol.2, 2001, p.71, no.241. 8.2 kg total, 48cm including stand (19"). From an old Tokyo collection; previously the property of a Japanese gentleman since the late 1990s; accompanied by copies of the relevant pages as published in The Remains of Happiness, The Dr. & Mrs Kurokawa Collection, vol.2, 2001, p.71, no.241. The head probably comes from a statue on the perimeter of a Buddhist temple or shrine, where its large size and imposing features would have inspired reverence among worshippers. By the fourth century AD monumental imagery became increasingly common in Gandhara, almost exclusively restricted to images of the Buddha himself but here the presence of the turban and some decorative features imply that this may indeed be a rare representation of Shakyamuni prior to his enlightenment. Alternatively, the head may have formed part of a triad of such figures. [No Reserve]

Fine condition. Rare.