A Torso of Buddha Tang Dynasty, 9th Century, 74 cm high, 87 cm… - The Kazari Collection - Mossgreen Auctions (No longer trading)

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Description:

A Torso of Buddha Tang Dynasty, 9th Century, 74 cm high, 87 cm wide, 60 cm deep, This monumental polished marble torso of the Buddha is in the style evocative of sculpture from the Hellenistic world., Seated on a throne with a draped cover the Buddha conveys a sense of majestic power and sublime beauty. The pleated robe is elegantly draped over the left shoulder leaving the right breast exposed. A simple belt tied with a stylized knot circles the waist., The form of this Buddha is derived from the art of Central Asia, which was directly influenced by Indian and Greco-Buddhist art from the Buddhist regions of Bactria and of Gandhara, situated in present day Afghanistan and Pakistan., Gandharan Buddhism reached the Central Asian Kingdom of Khotan in the first century BC. Located in the Tarim Basin, Khotan was one of the oasis kingdoms on the trade and silk routes that passed through the region and stretched east, into China., In the following centuries as trade along the Silk Road increased and the whole region flourished, Buddhism took hold and many monasteries and temple complexes were built. A unique Central Asian style evolved, spreading east into Gansu Province and China., The rise of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535) and its patronage of Buddhism resulted in a proliferation of religious construction across China, with art and architecture in the Central Asian Style., The popularity of this style reached it's zenith during the golden age of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), A similar seated Buddha dressed in the classical style and dated to the 6-7th Centuries of the Sui or early Tang period, is depicted on a stone lintel in the British Museum., (Oa 1937.7-16.1)./ Reference: The Art of Central Asia China and Tibet by Mehmet Hassan 2005

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Category:

Unclassified