A LARGE GRAY SCHIST RELIEF DEPICTING BUDDHA, A ROYAL DONOR AND SEVERAL ATTENDANTS, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 2ND-3RD CENTURY
Superbly carved, standing in slight contrapposto and surrounded by royal donors and attendants, each with hands clasped in front of their chest with their gaze directed at his outstretched right arm holding an alms bowl. The Buddha is dressed in voluminous robes which fall gracefully in well detailed folds. The hems of his alluring robes are gathered in a soft roll clutched by his left hand to keep the garment taut and in place. The serene face with heavy-lidded downcast eyes below gently arched brows centered by a circular raised urna, above full bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile, flanked by long pendulous earlobes. His hair is arranged in wavy locks over the domed ushnisha.


Provenance:
From an old Belgian private collection. Acquired before 1970 and thence by descent in the family.

Condition:
Good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, obvious losses, nicks, scratches, small old repairs, signs of weathering and erosion, few structural cracks.

Weight: 103.3 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 94.3 cm (incl. stand), 88.8 cm (excl. stand), Width 57.1 cm

Note the hierarchical proportions used by the sculpture, with Buddha double the size of the donor and the attendant figures.


The ancient region of Gandhara
was once an important center for trade and religious activities. Carved stone monuments and iconic statuary were created for Buddhist patrons while drawing on Greco-Roman sculptural traditions. The present work is one such example, incorporating the emphasis on naturalism, seen in the treatment of the Buddha’s heavy, monastic robe wrapping around his neck in thick layers and forming U-shaped folds on his legs with a convincing sense of gravity.


This panel alludes to a delightful moment in the life of Buddha
, which is retold by Harald Ingholt: “It was routine for the Buddha at a certain time of the day to wander around in quest of food. Once when he was doing this in Rajagriha, with his begging bowl held out before him, he met two small boys playing in the road. One of these moved as if to make an offering, but having nothing else at hand, he took a good fistful of dust and dropped it into the bowl saying that it was barely flour. The Buddha was much impressed by this childish act of piety and prophesied that the boy would become a mighty Buddhist monarch in some future life.” (Gandharan Art in Pakistan, New York, 1959, pp. 80-81). This story was later interpreted to identify the child as the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka (304-232 BC) in a previous life. While the figure of the child, the object of the Buddha and his entourage’s gaze, is now lost, the alms bowl remains partially preserved. Other depictions of this scene are found in ibid., nos. 110-111, and Kurita, Gandharan Art, Volume 1, Tokyo, 1988, pp. 178-181, nos. 351-358, and Sun and He, A History of Gandhara Civilization, Beijing, 2009, pp. 389, nos. 7, 128, 30.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 13 March 2013, lot 209
Price: USD 183,750 or approx.
EUR 224,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare green schist relief of Buddha and a royal donor, 2nd/3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of carving, with Buddha standing in similar pose and holding the hem of his garment beside a smaller donor figure. Note the size (106.8 cm).




陀羅二至三世紀灰色片岩佛像


雕刻精美，以輕微的三曲式姿勢站立，周圍環繞著皇家供養人和侍從。每個人都雙手合十於胸前，目光注視著佛陀伸出的拿著缽的右臂。佛陀身著寬大的袈裟，袈裟優雅地垂落，衣紋流暢。他左手握著長袍的下擺。佛陀面容平靜安詳，雙眼微垂，眉毛微彎，雙眉之間有白毫，略帶微笑，兩側是長耳垂。他的頭髮在頭頂成螺髻。


來源：
來自比利時私人舊藏，1970 年之前購得，此後由家族傳承。

品相：
狀況良好，大面積磨損、明顯的缺損、刻痕、劃痕、小修、風化和侵蝕，少量結構裂縫。

重量：103.3 公斤(含底座)
尺寸：高 94.3 厘米 (含底座)，88.8 厘米 (不含底座)，寬 57.1 厘米


健陀羅王國
從西元前 530 年直到西元 1021 年，當時它的最後一位國王被自己的軍隊殺害。健陀羅王國橫跨今天的阿富汗和巴基斯坦的部分地區。健陀羅以其獨特的佛教藝術風格聞名，這種風格融合了希臘、敘利亞、波斯和印度的藝術影響。健陀羅風格在 1 世紀至 5 世紀的貴霜時期蓬勃發展並達到頂峰。西元一世紀，健陀羅是最早的佛教造像的發源地。


拍賣比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2013年3月13日，lot 209
價錢：USD 183,750（相當今日
EUR 224,000
）
描述：西元二至三世紀灰色片岩佛像
專家註釋：比較非常相近的雕刻風格、佛陀以類似的姿勢站立，並在一個較小的捐贈者雕像旁邊握住他的衣服下擺。請注意 尺寸 (106.8 厘米)。