Gandharan Stone Sculptures

The Gandhara Buddhist Sculpture Collection
The seventeen Gandharan sculptures range from the 2nd to 6th centuries AD and cover a wide spectrum of subjects. Idealized "portrait" sculptures of Prince Siddhartha; several different renderings of how the Enlightened Buddha might have looked through Indo-Greek eyes; the Buddha standing in "teacher/philosopher" pose, robes artfully draped in the Greek manner; the seated meditating Buddha with sublime expression; the emaciated or Fasting Buddha, revealing the full extend of austerities experienced prior to Enlightenment; and an important and rare sculpture of the Buddha’s Miracle at Sravasti – when the Enlightened One multiplies himself to show eight simultaneous appearances of his form.

Then there are idealized "portrait" sculptures of Bodhisattvas and the Future Buddha Maitreya – including an unusually fine and large rendering seated in meditation and standing forms and of imposing size and quality; along with an important large sculpture of the goddess Tyche – protector of the city of Kapilavastu, the Buddha’s princely domain.

These imposing and pleasing sculptures present an excellent overview of the Indo-Greek aesthetic as it manifested in Gandhara during a wide time period, wholly focused on the Buddha Shakyamuni and the Future Buddha Maitreya. These sculptures were created for Buddhists to marvel at and meditate on, to help inspire, add spiritual focus, reveal and teach the Noble Eightfold Path. This purpose is as valid today as it was almost two thousand years ago when they were created.

The important sculpture of the Buddha’s Miracle at Sravasti is one of just a handful of known examples of this subject, may well be the very best, and the largest. It has impeccable provenance and is in excellent condition – without any restoration. Our Comparative Reference Section at the end of Part One illustrates the best of the other known examples.

The Fasting Buddha again is one of just a handful of large-size images of this subject and is very complete. It is a masterpiece of the sculptor’s art, revealing the full power and experience of the Buddha’s earnest desire to be free from the cycle of birth and death and the power of his will to succeed. His veins and sinews show the extreme experience of the Shakyamuni prior to his Enlightenment. This breathtaking stone sculpture – carved from a hard light grey schist stone in Uddiyana during 2nd to 3rd century AD – is the highlight of this section. Shown in New York for the first time, it has impeccable provenance and is in excellent condition – without any restoration. See the Comparative Reference Section at the end of Part One.

All seventeen sculptures have been chosen over a long period and are excellent to perfect examples of their genre. Brought together for this exhibition, they are the back-drop for the "Out of Uddiyana" exhibition. Excellent quality, fine condition, impeccable provenance, these masterpieces of the sculptor’s art communicate their very essence and transcendental qualities to the receptive viewer. Step back, contemplate the sculptures…..absorb the message, the sublime mysticism, and experience the pure beauty of this magnificent Spiritual Art!

Shown at Tibet House
22 West 15 Street
New York
USA