Greystones Fine Interiors

Description

2nd-3rd century AD. A carved schist frieze section with arcade of rectangular pillars framing two scenes.

The historical region of Gandhara, was a satrapy of the Persian Achaemenid Empire from the 6th century BC, conquered by Alexander the Great, remaining Hellenistic with the Greek-Hindu sovereigns, until it was annexed to the Kushana empire (1st - 3rd centuries AD).

The Kushan adopted many elements of Hellenistic culture, adapting the Greek alphabet to their language, etc. It is because of these historical circumstances that Greco-Buddhist art, a syncretism between Greek culture and Buddhism, developed in Gandhara. In particular, Hellenistic sculpture was the main source of influences in Gandhara's art, since it represented the gods in human form. Later the area also had direct relations with the Roman world, through the trade and cultural exchange that it developed through the Silk Road, through which Roman coins and sculptures arrived in Gandhara in which emperors, high dignitaries appeared. and gods. Greco-Latin influence in this region was key in its artistic development, both for the formal aspects and for the fact that the Buddha was represented in human form. In fact Gandhara will be the first centre, along with Mathura, where not only Sakyamuni or historical Buddha, but also other figures from the Buddhist pantheon are represented in their human form. This figurative representation will also favour the spread of Buddhism throughout East Asia.

In this fragment of the frieze we can observe a curious scene in which the Buddha is surrounded by a retinue of offerors or followers, very similar to scenes from the Christian imagination in which Jesus Christ is surrounded by his apostles.

22 kg total, 81.5cm width with stand 27cm in height (on stand). Cf. Jongeward, D. Buddhist Art of Gandhara in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2018, item 32 for type.

Property of a North London gentleman ex private London collection, acquired 1980-1990s.