Gandhara. 2th/3th c. An exquisite grey schist sculpture of a standing Bodhisattva in an elegant and animated posture. His sensuous expression on his face, with the head slightly bending towards the onlooker, is one of compassion and attentiveness. His missing right hand would have been raised in abhayamudra (have no fear gesture) while his left hand would have held the fold of his robe or Maitreya's flask. He stands feet apart on a pedestal base with stylized lotus flowers.
His long pleated robe wraps elegantly around his body and shoulders in cascading folds reminiscent of the Greco-Roman influence, while his underskirt is slightly visible around his lower legs. The simple monastic robe draping his powerful body contrasts superbly with the lavish ornaments on the Bodhisattva's chest, ears and in his elegant, wavy hairdo. Three small holes under the arms and between the feet indicate that the sculpture was originally fixed into a niche or on a wall.
While numerous Bodhisattva images are known of the Gandharan period, only few depict the extraordinarily sublime realism and finesse of this delightful sculpture. Height 52cm. Condition B.
Provenance: -Private collection Japan, since 1980s. -Private collection Belgium since 2012.