Galerie Golconda

Grey-green schist, the most precious, typical to the region of Gandhara and particularly the Buner district in the south of the region of Swat. Sculpted in ronde bosse. Very good representation of Buddha seated beneath his tree. Excellent state of preservation. Rare colour for the schist and highly prized by collectors. No visible repair, some scratches due to age.Greco-Buddhist Art of the Gandhara. The art of the Gandhara, born on Indian soil and in the service of the Buddhist religion, uses iconographic elements drawn from the Hellenist repertory introduced by the Bactrian Greeks, who came to the outer parts of Afghanistan following the conquests of Alexander the Great. The bas-reliefs recount episodes in the life of Buddha and his previous lives as they are described in the texts. Generally rectangular, they are juxtaposed in the form of friezes. Here Buddha is sitting beneath the tree of the enlightenment in the pose showing no fear. His disciples in adoration surround him.