A GREY SCHIST BUST OF A BODHISATTVA ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, KUSHAN PERIOD, 2ND/3RD CENTURY |

well carved with a finely pleated robe draped elegantly over his upper body and looped over his left shoulder, richly bejeweled wearing a foliate collar with matching armband and a pendant looped necklace suspending two vidyadharas centering a faceted jewel, his wavy hair gathered in a double-looped topknot secured by an elaborate headdress with festoons and rosettes, his face bearing a serene, introspective expression, the figure backed by a halo

Sotheby's New York, September 21, 2007, lot 1.
The Collection of Deborah and Jack Rosenberg.
Drouot, Paris, April 1932, lot 47.
The Collection of M. H. Sevadjian.

Good overall condition for an object of this type and age. The left and right forearms and hands missing and lower left side of the torso. Abrasions at lower right edge. Loss to the tip of the nose. Some loss to the folds of the drapery visible in the crease of the proper left arm and the face of the right deity in the necklace now missing. Some cracking to the halo. Scuffs, nicks and general wear consistent with use and medium. Metal supporting rod drilled in place to attach the sculpture to a base. No restoration.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This Gandharan bodhisattva carries a storied history of ownership for the last almost hundred years. Sold at an auction in Paris in 1932 from the collection of M.H. Sevadjian, now an unknown collector save for the catalogue, his tastes evidently varied from Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Indian, Chinese and Japanese antiquities to impressionist paintings and French furniture and tapestries. An image of the bodhisattva in the catalogue looks wholly unchanged. The catalogue notes that it is a "Remarkable example that can be compared without disadvantage to the famous statue in the Louvre from Peshwar."  The bodhisattva here is a fine example of the Grecian influence on the form and style seen in Gandharan Art. Dressed in princely attire, adorned with jewelry and draping robes, this deified form represents the path of enlightenment of the Buddha prior to his renunciation. Compare Zwalf, W.; A Catalogue of the Gandhara Sculpture in the British Museum, London, 1996, p. 44, fig. 63.