Unknown Artist
- Title
- Maitreya
- Other titles:
- Stele with Bodhisattva seated in contemplation
Seated pensive Bodhisattva - Place of origin
-
Swat Valley →
Ancient Gandhara →
Pakistan
- Period
- Kushan period mid 1st century - early 5th century → India
- Year
- 3rd century
- Media category
- Sculpture
- Materials used
- grey schist
- Dimensions
-
79.0 x 39.0 x 18.0cm
- Signature & date
- Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Purchased 1997
- Accession number
- 7.1997
- Location
- Upper Asian gallery
- Further information
Originating in the north-west regions of present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan, the art of Gandhara represents a unique meeting of East and West. From these sources there emerged a remarkable new art that flourished during the first four centuries of the Christian era. This figure of a Maitreya is distinguished by its quiet and contemplative attitude, the distinctive face with prominent moustache, the flowing drapery, the ornate pedestal, and the right foot casually raised leaving an empty sandal on the footstool. The right hand lightly touches the head in a pensive gesture, and the left holds a covered casket or alms bowl. It is an image that beautifully and richly embraces its cosmopolitan heritage and lays the foundations for the great traditions of East Asian Buddhist sculpture.
Asian Art Department, AGNSW, 1999
- Bibliography (8)
-
'Asian Art Gallery New Courses', pg. 20., Look Feb 1998, Feb 1998, 20 (colour illus.).
The Art Gallery of New South Wales Bulletin Feb 1998-Apr 1998, Feb 1998-Apr 1998, 41 (colour illus.).
Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, Domain, 1999, 288 (colour illus.).
'New Dimensions', by Jackie Menzies, pg. 54-63., Arts of Asia Nov 2003-Dec 2003, Nov 2003-Dec 2003, 59 (colour illus.). no.11
'Sensuous Spirituality: Hindu and Buddhist Art from the Indic Cultural Realm' by Pratapaditya Pal, pg. 80-87., Orientations Sep 2000, Sep 2000, 82 (illus.; colour illus.). fig.4 and 4a (detail)
'Buddhist Art', The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales 2003, 2003, 28-29 (colour illus.). The colour illus. on page 29 is a detail of this work.
Adventures in Asia. An education kit for the Asian gallery 2003, 2003, 1 (colour illus.). card no.1
Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Author), Art Gallery of New South Wales: highlights from the collection, Sydney, 2008, 182, 183 (colour illus.), 188 (colour illus.). The colour illus. on page 188 is a detail of this work.
