Sandstone Torso, Mathura, India

Torso of a princely Bodhisattva, probably Maitreya, sculpted in red sandstone characteristic of the Mathura region, northern India. The figure is depicted standing, in a frontal and hieratic attitude. The face, of great gentleness, has rounded and serene features: the half-closed eyes express a meditative interiority, typical of Gupta art in the 4th/5th century. The bare torso is adorned with a necklace of large pearls, a sacred cord (yajñopavata) falling diagonally across the chest and a central pendant in the form of a knot. These attributes identify the figure as a Bodhisattva, that is, an enlightened being who renounces nirvana to guide men. Height: 32 cm without the base. Bibliography: - Harle, JC, The Art and Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, Penguin, 1986. - Czuma, S., Kushan Sculpture: Images from Early India, Cleveland Museum of Art, 1985. - Pal, Pratapaditya, Indian Sculpture: 300 BC – 1300 AD, LACMA, 1988.