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Portrait of a donor (?)

India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

2nd–1st century BCE

Not on view

Scholars of early India once identified any anonymous renderings of a human as a personified nature spirit; however, it is now clear that portraits of individuals existed alongside images of nature deities. The head seen here was excavated in 1914 at Sarnath, the site of the Buddha’s first sermon. It is distinctive in facial features and style of headdress, suggestive of portraiture. Confidently carved in sharp planes that cast deep shadows, ideal for outdoor installation, it wears a patterned-cloth turban and braided hair. Mauryan north India was in close diplomatic contact with Iranian and Hellenistic cultures, in which portraiture had an established place. The heads from Sarnath may then represent high-status Buddhist donors.

Portrait of a donor (?), Sandstone, India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Portrait of a donor (?), Sandstone, India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

Portrait of a donor (?), Sandstone, India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

Portrait of a donor (?), Sandstone, India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Title: Portrait of a donor (?)

Period: Shunga

Date: 2nd–1st century BCE

Culture: India, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

Medium: Sandstone

Dimensions: Overall: H. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm); W. 4 in. (10.2 cm); D. (approx.) 6 in. (15.2 cm)

Classification: Sculpture

Credit Line: Lent by National Museum, New Delhi

Rights and Reproduction: Photo by Theirry Ollivier

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Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.