Provenance:
New England Private Collection
Hurst Gallery, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Paul Theroux Collection
Seated in meditation and adorned with necklaces and a jeweled headdress, Maitreya is shown as a bodhisattva rather than a monk. The small sacred flask held between the four fingers of his left hand foretells the Buddha of the future. His hands rest in his lap, and his calm expression conveys the inward focus of contemplation.
The broad chest and firm torso retain a sense of physical presence, while the robe falls in sharply-defined folds across the crossed legs. The distinctive double-looped coiffure, princely dress, and elaborate jewelry establish the figure’s courtly character.
Maitreya held a distinctive place in Gandharan imagery. According to Buddhist tradition, he now resides in Tushita Heaven and will descend in a future age to renew the Dharma after the teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha have disappeared. His princely form, adorned yet still in meditation, became an enduring way of depicting him throughout Asia.
Paul Theroux, the American novelist and travel writer, developed a longstanding interest in Asian art and cultures through his extensive travels in the region.
