Description:

Central Asia, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan, Gandharan Empire, ca. 2nd to 3rd century CE. A beautiful and finely-preserved relief sculpture, hand-carved from pale-grey schist, depicting several regal figures seated at or standing around an elegant table. The bearded man towards which the gaze of each other princely claimant is focused is the brahmin drona, an arbiter who is tasked with evenly dividing the relics as well as the cremated remains of the Buddha. Each figure wears an intricately-woven turban and flowing vestments while steepling his hands over the peach-shaped vessel bestowed to him. The carved scene is framed with a slender column on one side and a fragmentary upper border with stippled motifs. Size: 5.875" W x 6.3" H (14.9 cm x 16 cm); 7.3" H (18.5 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Boris Mussienko collection, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, acquired in the 1980s

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#146239

  • Condition: This is a fragment of a larger sculpture. Losses to peripheries, verso, base, and face of one figure as shown. Small chips and abrasions to figures, borders, peripheries, and verso, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations within some recessed areas. Nice earthen deposits throughout.

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June 6, 2019 7:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000