LARGE GANDHARAN SCHIST FIGURE OF BODHISATTVA MAITREYA

Ca. 200-300 AD
A substantial grey schist of Bodhisattva Maitreya. The bodhisattva stands on a plinth that is adorned with a central seated Buddha, framed by pairs of devout followers. The figure of Maitreya has gracefully cascading robes. His face is characterised by downcast eyes, beneath softly arched brows. The adornments, such as the braided necklace and the urna centered on his forehead, are suggestive of his status. He holds a water pot in his left hand, a symbolic attribute which contains the elixir of immortality. For similar see: The British Museum, Registration number 1880.72.
Size: L:885mm / W:315mm ; 55kg
Provenance: Property of a West London gentleman; previously in a collection formed on the UK/International art market in the 1990s. This item has been checked against the Art Loss Register database.
Estimate: GBP 7500 - 15000