Head of a Bodhisattva. Gandhara, 2nd-4th century A.D.

Head of a Bodhisattva. Gandhara, 2nd - 4th century A.D.
Stucco.
Provenance: Fortuna Fine Arts, New York. Private collection, New York, USA. Acquired from the above.
Condition: good condition, no restorations.
Measurements: 31.5 cm high.

The serenity of the face and the richness of the headdress place this head within the refined sculptural production of Gandhara, one of the great centers of ancient Buddhist art. Made of stucco and dated between the 2nd and 4th centuries A.D., the piece reflects the characteristic cultural synthesis of the region, where Indian and Central Asian traditions and formal echoes of Hellenistic roots converged.

The face shows a restrained and meditative expression, with almond-shaped eyes, softly marked eyelids and a small mouth, all modeled with great delicacy. The elaborate headdress, decorated with pearl bands, side rosette and hair worked in locks, identifies the figure as a Bodhisattva, an enlightened being associated with compassion and spiritual guidance.

In Gandhara art, Bodhisattvas were represented with princely attributes, unlike the more ascetic image of the Buddha. That courtly dimension is seen here in the ornamental care of the headdress and the nobility of the countenance, which combines earthly presence and spiritual elevation.

The provenance linked to Fortuna Fine Arts, New York, and its subsequent conservation in a New York private collection provide an outstanding collecting history. The absence of restorations allows us to value the piece as an antique fragment of clean reading, great visual strength and remarkable sculptural elegance.