A MONUMENTAL STUCCO HEAD OF BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A MONUMENTAL STUCCO HEAD OF BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, CIRCA 4TH-5TH CENTURY This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve The Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger, entry from 2005: “No. 169, LA 2002, UK Mankowitz, Gandhara 2nd-3rd c. Stucco face fragment of Buddha” Gallery price: EUR 28,000 or approx. EUR 47,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing. Expert’s note: This larger than life-size head was once part of a monumental frieze, from which it was removed a long time ago. Such colossal Buddha images, especially made in stucco, are known from various archaeological sites in the Gandhara region of ancient Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Buddha’s heavily-lidded pensive eyes convey his compassion for all sentient beings. Kushan period. The face displaying a serene expression with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, below elegantly arched brows, centered by an aquiline nose above full bow-shaped lips with an oval depression used to define the philtrum, framed by gently-rounded cheeks betraying a youthful demeanor. Important Note: For essential information on the Jorgen Ruben Gallery Ledger and provenance documentation please visit here: www.zacke.at/rubencollection_ledger Dimensions: Height 46 cm (excl. stand), 57 cm (incl. stand) Mounted on an associated stand. (2) Remarkable in its scale, this fragment of a head is from a colossal representation of Buddha produced for a once monumental stupa along the ancient Silk Road in modern day Afghanistan. It presents one of the earliest and most influential sculptural traditions representing Buddha in human form, and bespeaks these thriving centers of Buddhism in the first half of the first millennium AD. Gandhara, located in the rugged foothills of the Himalayas, was a thriving cultural crossroads, where Greek, Parthian, and Kushan influences converged with the indigenous Buddhist tradition. The wealth of the region, bolstered by its pivotal role in trade, allowed for the commissioning of grandiose sculptures and monumental icons that reflected the evolving Buddhist philosophy, particularly from the 4th to 5th centuries AD. These works embodied the transformative ideologies of a flourishing Gandharan society, as seen in their increasingly complex iconography and monumental scale. The use of stucco in Gandharan sculpture, particularly at sites such as Hadda, represents a pivotal moment in the history of Buddhist art. Sculptural production in this medium was central to the period, allowing for rapid construction of large-scale images and architectural decoration, as evidenced by the extensive findings at Takht-i-Bahi, where over 270 sculptures were uncovered, many dating to the 3rd to 5th centuries AD. The speed and flexibility of stucco as a material made it ideal for the dynamic religious patronage of the time, where monumental images were created to adorn both monastic shrines and sacred spaces. Hadda, situated in modern-day Afghanistan, is perhaps the most significant archaeological site for the study of Gandharan stucco. The site, thought to be the origin of this Buddha, reveals the mastery of stucco sculptors who combined Greco-Buddhist styles with Buddhist iconography. These sculptures, like the present lot, would have been integral to the visual and spiritual landscape of Buddhist monasticism. Though much of Hadda was destroyed during the civil war and subsequent looting by the Taliban, its profound legacy continues to influence the understanding of Gandharan art. Literature comparison: Compare a related smaller stucco head of Buddha, dated 3rd-4th century, 24.1 cm high, in the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, object number 2009.1708. Compare a related smaller stucco head of Buddha, dated 4th-5th century, 33 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1935,0312.1. Compare a related larger stucco head of Buddha, dated 4th century, 68 cm high, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number 50.25. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 2 October 2018, lot 8 Price: HKD 4,660,000 or approx. EUR 597,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and similar facial expression and dimpled philtrum. Note the size (61 cm) and that the comparable is a complete head with well-preserved polychromy.

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