A BODHISATTVA MAITREYA FIGURE IN SCHIST, Gandhara, 2nd a.D. / 3rd a.D century

Maitreya has his right hand in the gesture of banishing fear and his left with the jar of the nectar of immortality. His bare chest is adorned with necklaces and prayer beads in the Iranian tradition. From the left shoulder descends a monastic cloak with ample drapery in the Hellenistic tradition. The eyes are half-closed and the face has an expression of deep spirituality. In the centre of the forehead protrudes a small mole, one of the somatic features that distinguish the Buddha and the bodhisattvas. The hair, held back by a string of pearls, is gathered into a chignon. The body is well modelled and the interlacing of the monastic cloak with the tight robe on the hips accentuates the volumes and creates an effect of movement. The head is framed by a broad halo, a symbol of the spiritual light radiating from the bodhisattva.

Lot with Certificato of importation: N. 419