Provenance:
New England Private Collection
Hurst Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Paul Theroux Collection
Seated in meditation and adorned with necklaces and a jeweled headdress, this sculpture depicts Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. Unlike images of Sakyamuni Buddha, Maitreya appears as a bodhisattva and is therefore represented in the attire of a prince rather than a monk. A small flask suspended at his waist, one of his traditional attributes, identifies the figure. His hands rest quietly in his lap, while his composed expression conveys the serenity associated with Buddhist contemplation.
The sculptor balanced ornamental richness with careful observation of the human form. The broad chest and softly-modeled torso retain a convincing physical presence beneath the jewelry, while the robe falls in sharply-cut folds across the crossed legs. The carefully-arranged coiffure, princely ornaments, and restrained expression lend the figure an air of quiet dignity. At the same time, the deeply-carved drapery and naturalistic modeling reflect the distinctive sculptural language that developed in Gandhara, where artistic traditions rooted in the Hellenistic world were adapted to express Buddhist subjects with a new emphasis on volume, movement, and human presence.
As one of the great artistic centers of early Buddhism, Gandhara helped shape enduring images of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, including Maitreya, that circulated widely across Asia. Maitreya occupied a particularly important place within Gandharan Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he now resides in the Tushita Heaven and will descend in a future age to renew the Dharma after the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha have disappeared from the world.
