A LARGE GANDHARA SCHIST HEAD OF GODDESS HARITI, 2nd – 3rd CENTURY

Grey schist with good age-patina, modern metal base

Ancient region of Gandhara, 2nd – 3rd century

This rare Gandhara Schist head depicts Hariti, the goddess patron of children and one of the very few female deities portrayed during the Gandhara reign. She is shown with a serene smile, the head tilted to the side with a warm and loving facial expression. The aristocratic facial features, a precious earring and the braided headdress below the turban all attest to the divinity of the portrait.

The kingdom of Gandhara lasted from 530 BC to 1021 AD, when its last king was murdered by his own troops. It stretched across parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhara is noted for its distinctive style in Buddhist art, which developed out of a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian and Indian artistic influence. Gandharan style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period, from the 1st to the 5th century. In the first century AD, Gandhara was the birthplace of some of the earliest Buddhist images.

Shape: Figural shape
Dimensions: 43 cm (height of head alone), 32 cm (maximum width), 56 cm (height with base)
Condition: Good condition, fully consistent with the age of the sculpture, material loss to exposed areas
Provenance: Collection of an American gentleman

Auction result comparison: Christie’s, INDIAN, HIMALAYAN & SOUTHEAST ASIAN ART
21 November 2001, Amsterdam, lot 20 (for a comparable Gandhara Schist head, also attributed to Hariti).

二至三世紀犍陀羅片岩鬼子母頭像
灰色片岩，良好歲月包漿，現代金屬底座
犍陀羅地區，二至三世紀

鬼子母，又稱愛子母，為兒童的守護神，是少數幾個犍陀羅地區供奉的女神祇。本尊頭像有著慈祥的微笑及慈悲的面容。高貴的臉部特徵，稀有的耳環及編織的髮髻，展現了其神聖的一面。

犍陀羅王朝從西元前530至西元後1021年，最後一任國王被自己的軍隊被判。王朝位處現今的阿富汗及巴基斯坦地區。以其獨特的佛教藝術風格而聞名，該藝術由希臘，敘利亞，波斯和印度的藝術影響力合併而成。從第一至第五世紀的貴霜時期，犍陀羅風格盛行並達到鼎盛時期。在公元一世紀，犍陀羅是一些最早的佛教圖像的誕生地。

形狀：人物形狀
尺寸：高43厘米(不含底座)，寬32厘米(最大寬度)，含底座高57厘米
品相良好，完全符合當時的雕塑時代，部分材料缺失。
美國紳士收藏

類似拍品：一件類似的犍陀羅片岩鬼子母頭像，見佳士得《印度、喜瑪拉雅及東南亞藝術》，2001年11月21日，阿姆斯特丹，拍品編號20。