Not currently on display at the V&A

Sculptural Figure
5th century to 7th Century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A standing figure, probably of a bodhisattva, is shown in full frontal pose in mauve shale or steatite, which is much damaged. The figure has lost most of its arms, but it appears that it originally had four arms. The figure has a nimbus behind the head which bears the features of a late Ghandaran style. He has a rounded face with narrow eyes between projecting eyelids under raised arched ridges which define the eyebrows (influenced perhaps from Gupta sculpture). The upper lip is concealed under a small undulating moustache over a fuller lower lip. The hair is swept back from the face in a rope-like tress surrounding the face with large cylindrical earrings on each side resting on the shoulders. The headdress above is badly damaged but shows the remnants of a high rounded topknot with bands at its base and two side rosettes which branch out on either side. The figure has several circular lines round his neck with two heavy necklaces, the lower one reaching down to his waist. He is also wearing ornamental armbands. The upper part of the torso is bare, and the well-developed shoulders, chest and trim waist may indicate some Kashmiri influence. The figure wears an antariya twisted over at the top just below his waist with one end looped over. There is a floral garland draped round his forearms which reaches down to the lower edge of the carving at knee height.



Object details

Categories
Object type
Title
Materials and techniques
Shale or steatite.
Brief description
Standing figure, shale, 5th-7th century, Gandhara.
Physical description
A standing figure, probably of a bodhisattva, is shown in full frontal pose in mauve shale or steatite, which is much damaged. The figure has lost most of its arms, but it appears that it originally had four arms. The figure has a nimbus behind the head which bears the features of a late Ghandaran style. He has a rounded face with narrow eyes between projecting eyelids under raised arched ridges which define the eyebrows (influenced perhaps from Gupta sculpture). The upper lip is concealed under a small undulating moustache over a fuller lower lip. The hair is swept back from the face in a rope-like tress surrounding the face with large cylindrical earrings on each side resting on the shoulders. The headdress above is badly damaged but shows the remnants of a high rounded topknot with bands at its base and two side rosettes which branch out on either side. The figure has several circular lines round his neck with two heavy necklaces, the lower one reaching down to his waist. He is also wearing ornamental armbands. The upper part of the torso is bare, and the well-developed shoulders, chest and trim waist may indicate some Kashmiri influence. The figure wears an antariya twisted over at the top just below his waist with one end looped over. There is a floral garland draped round his forearms which reaches down to the lower edge of the carving at knee height.

Dimensions
  • Height: 16.6cm
  • Width: 6.5cm
Style
Object history
Purchased from Sotheby's on 1 August 1939, lot No. 183, from the collection of his excellency Baron Wernher von Ow-Wachendorf, who had, during his career in the German foreign service, been consul general in Calcutta.
Production
Late Gandhara
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
IM.153-1939

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Record createdMay 30, 2002
Record URL
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