Buddha

The subtly carved face, finely proportioned body, and cascading drapery of this Buddha indicate that it was the product of a master sculptor. The Buddha’s frontal disposition and downcast eyes suggest that it stood in a raised niche for veneration. Typical of early Gandharan representations of the Buddha, he likely held his (now lost) right hand in the gesture of calm protection (abhayamudra). The sophisticated naturalism of this figure had a short lifespan, which by the late third century had given over to more abstracted and idealized representations. The quality schist and the highly finished surface are characteristics of the finest sculptures produced in central Gandhara under the patronage of the Buddhist communities of the region, which prospered because of their control of strategic passes that connected South Asia to West Asia and China.