Ancient Indian Carved Stone Gandharan Shakyamuni Buddha Statue 2nd Century a.d.

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A rare and large ancient majestic carved stone Shakyamuni Buddha Statue, ancient region of Gandhara, Kushan Period, 2nd/3rd century CE.
… Read more A rare and large ancient majestic carved stone Shakyamuni Buddha Statue, ancient region of Gandhara, Kushan Period, 2nd/3rd century CE.
The figure from Gandhara is deserving of direct comparison to an example in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession no. 2014.188) attributed to the 3rd century. The museum attributes the sculpture to 'Pakistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, possibly Takht-i-bahi monastery, ancient region of Gandhara.' This figure is very similar in both size and carving.
The statue is carved from schist and is backed by a halo, the figure stands looking serenely into the distance and is draped in a sanghati robe with pronounced drapery folds. The Buddha has an incised urna to his forehead and is wearing his hair in an ushnisha or topknot. Condition is very good, lacking the right hand and some losses to the halo.
A very similar but taller figure sold at Sotheby's NY, Lot 809 Indian and Himalayan art, March 21st 2024 sold for $304,800.

Gandhara, an ancient area located in what is today northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan, emerged as a significant hub for Buddhist culture and art between the 1st century BCE and the 5th century CE. Positioned along the well-known trade route known as the Silk Road, Gandhara played a pivotal role as a cultural crossroads, blending early Western classical influences with Indian iconography and local traditions. The resulting Gandharan art style, which flourished from the 1st century CE, is notable for its integration of Greek artistic elements with native and Buddhist themes. It was not until the 2nd century, however, that Gandharan art began to depict the first human representations of the Buddha, moving away from earlier symbolic representations like footprints, riderless horses, and umbrellas. The Kushan period (c. 75-451 AD) of Gandharan art, to which this figure example belongs, was the golden age of artistic production in the area. See less