A MAGNIFICENTLY MODELED LIFESIZE STUCCO HEAD OF BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD-4TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A MAGNIFICENTLY MODELED LIFESIZE STUCCO HEAD OF BUDDHA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD-4TH CENTURY Expert’s note This superbly modeled and exceptionally well-preserved head is a particularly fine early example of Gandharan stucco sculpture. Its early date is most clearly seen in the hair, formed entirely of full, deeply modeled waves that rise prominently from the crown and sweep upward over the ushnisha. This wavy hairstyle predates the later development of separately modeled curls. Compare the famous stucco head from Tapa Kalan at Hadda, dated to the 2nd-3rd century and formerly in the National Museum of Afghanistan, Kabul, photographed in 1975 by Louis Dupré (fig. 1). An interesting transitional comparison is also the head sold at Christie’s New York, 22 March 2011, lot 204 (fig. 2), whose predominantly wavy hair already incorporates a number of curls in the center. Damaged stucco sculptures were sometimes repaired by applying fresh plaster and remodeling them in a newer style, which may explain this combination. The present head, by contrast, retains an entirely wavy and consistent hairstyle, without any later curls. Together with the remarkably fresh and precise modeling of the eyes, nose, and mouth, this makes it an unusually pure and accomplished example of the early Gandharan stucco tradition. Kushan period. Finely modeled, the oval face with the gaze half covered by lowered eyelids, evoking Buddha's detachment from the mundane, below dramatically arched brows, and centered by a circular urna above the aquiline nose, and bow-shaped lips forming a subtle smile. The thick wavy hair radiating from a central widow's peak, flowing over the domed ushnisha, and flanked by pendulous earlobes with long slits. Some of the old polychrome decoration is significantly intact. Brushstrokes in red cinnabar accentuate the hairline, nose, and lips. Thick black lines run across the arches of his brow and his eyes. Dimensions: Height 43 cm (excl. stand), 54 cm (incl. stand) Mounted on an associated metal stand. (2) 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. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related head of Buddha from Pakistan, dated to the 3rd-4th century, 40 cm high, in the Newfields' collection, Indianapolis Museum of Art, accession number 1994.1. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 2 October 2018, lot 8 Price: HKD 4,660,000 or approx. EUR 599,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling with similar serene expression, facial features, and wavy hair. Note the larger size (61 cm).

图片