Galerie Golconda

Head of a statuette in orangey red terracotta. The face has Indo-European features. The hairstyle is typical of demons, with well-marked locks and a distinct beard, very neat and finished with a goatee and long moustache. Good state of preservation. Signs of crusty patina from the excavation. Small scratches and imperfections due to age. The art of Gandhãra was born on Indian soil and served the religious teachings of Buddhism. It appropriated iconographic elements from the religious repertory of Buddha and skilfully combined them with the sculptural techniques imported from Europe by the Greek soldiers of Macedonia and then Bactria, who made up the armies of Alexander the Great. It was during this period that the first human images of Buddha appeared, in accordance with the Greek belief that considered and depicted the gods as men. This art testifies to the theological evolutions that required new images of devotion serving as spiritual support.