Gandhâra Buddha head, 3rd-4th century A.D.

Gandhâra Buddha head, 3rd-4th century AD.
Terracotta. Mounted on metal base.
Provenance: German private collection, F. H. Düsseldorf, before the 1980s, then by descent.
Private collection L. D. Belgium since the 1990s.
Bibliography:
- De l'Indus à l'Oxus. Archéologie de l'Asie Centrale, edited by O. Bopearachchi, C. Landes and C. Sachs,
- Association IMAGO - Muséee de Lattes, Lattes, 2003.
Measurements: 19 cm (height); 26 cm (total height).

This terracotta Buddha head, fragment of a monumental sculpture, exemplifies the refined aesthetics of the Great Gandh?ra, specifically of the Vardak region. The piece preserves the start of a hair treated with soft undulations that would converge in the missing u????a. On a narrow forehead stands out the ?r? in relief, symbol of the mah?puru?a or "Great Being". Under some superciliary arches with sharp edges, there are almond-shaped eyes with prominent eyelids and a straight nose that extends from the eyebrows. The expressiveness of the mouth stands out, where the contrast between a subtle upper lip and a fleshy lower lip, together with the marked corners of the mouth, gives the face a deep internalized smile. Its morphology refers directly to the Hadda specimens, characterized by this combination of classical idealism and spiritual serenity.

Gandhara Buddhas are one of the most fascinating manifestations in the history of art, as they represent the first visual contact between East and West. This artistic style, known as Greco-Buddhist art, emerged between the 1st and 5th centuries AD in the Gandhara region (now between Pakistan and Afghanistan).