A RARE STUCCO NICHE WITH THE FOUR LOKAPALAS OFFERING BEGGING BOWLS TO THE BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 4TH-5TH CENTURY

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A RARE STUCCO NICHE WITH THE FOUR LOKAPALAS OFFERING BEGGING BOWLS TO THE BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 4TH-5TH CENTURY Finely modeled, the arched architectural niche depicting Buddha Shakyamuni seated atop a cushioned throne, the lowered left hand clutching the finely pleated folds of his monastic robe, which fall in gently undulating folds across the torso and legs. The serene face is marked by heavy-lidded, downcast eyes with dark pupils beneath arched brows, an aquiline nose, and pursed lips, flanked by ears with elongated lobes. The wavy hair is drawn back from the face and gathered over the gently domed ushnisha, all framed by a circular halo. The Buddha is flanked by two standing monastic disciples leaning attentively toward him, while two kneeling devotees occupy the lower register. The scene is enclosed by a rounded arch supported on rectangular pilasters with foliate capitals, the apex centered by a small floral ornament. Dimensions: Height 32.5 cm Immediately after the attainment of enlightenment, when the Buddha decided to eat after the forty-nine days emancipation, four begging bowls were presented by the guardians of the four directions. The four lokapalas offered Buddha bowls made of gold, which he refused as too fine. To please Buddha, they changed the bowls into stone, a material associated with monastic life, and Buddha accepted. Before he began to eat, the Buddha transformed the four bowls into one, in order that no one offering might be seen as favored over the others. For a further discussion and related depictions of the presentation of the four begging bowls, see Ghani ur Rehman, The Power of Bodhi: The Miraculous Mergence of the Four Begging Bowls by the Buddha Represented in Gandhara Sculpture, Pakistan Journal of History and Culture, Vol. XXXI, No.2 (2010). In addition to schist, stucco was a popular medium for sculpture in the ancient Gandhara region. A lightweight, malleable ware, stucco readily lends itself to delicate detailing and sensitive modeling, conveying an emotional presence exemplified in this fine head of Buddha. With idealized proportions and beatific expression, the serene figure is the embodiment of compassion. Literature comparison: Compare a related Bactrian architectural niche with Buddha Shakyamuni and two monks, found at Fayaz-tepe, southern Uzbekistan, dated 1st-2nd century AD, 75 cm high, in the Museum of the History of the People of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, illustrated by Jonathan Tucker, The Silk Road: Art and History, London, 2003, fig. 265. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 20 March 2025, lot 557 Price: USD 50,800 or approx. EUR 46,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form of the niche and modeling of the facial features. Note the size (46 cm).

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