Head of Gautama Buddha; shale; Bihar; 11th century.

Possibly formerly part of a figure seated on a padmasana on the bhumisparsa attitude. It has rows of conventional curls, a high ushnisha and traces of an urna. Probably mutilated about 1193 A.D., the date of the Muhammadan conquest which terminated the Pala dynasty of Bengal.

Given by the Architectural Association, Royal Architectural Museum, 37 Great Smith Street, Westminster, S.W

Given by the Architectural Association, to which this and 51 related architectural pieces from ruined temples devastated by Muslim raiders in the 14th and 15th centuries on the twin summits of Mount Shatrunjaya, Palitana in Gujarat, IM 53-112-1916, had been presented by Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, Ist baronet, G.C.B, C.C.S.I. (1815-1884), former Governor of Bombay, in 1877.

As John Guy writes in The Peaceful Liberators the high degree of stylistic uniformity suggests that these pieces were collected from a single temple, or at least from sites that were contemporary. They are related to known Solanki dynasty temples of the 11th and 12th centuries: inscriptions record that endowments were made to the Shatrunjaya temples during the reign of Siddharaja Jayasimha (1095-1142), a Solanki ruler renowned for his patronage.

Given by the Architectural Association, Royal Architectural Museum, 37 Great Smith Street, Westminster, S.W. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.

R.P. 1915-3836M and R.P. 1916-2270M

Mediaeval Bihar School

Bihar, Eastern India

IM.110-1916