The Buddhist Art of Gandhara: The Story of the Early School, its Birth, Growth and Decline c10.10

c10.10

The next head (fig. 33) is also truly Hellenistic. It, too, is bearded, but the beard is treated in even simpler masses, and there is a quiet dignity and repose about the features that find their nearest parallel among cult statues of the Greek pantheon. Unfortunately, the upper part of the head is mutilated, but what remains is quite enough to show that the sculptor had an intimate knowledge of Hellenistic art and complete command of his material. In fig. 34, a female head with heavy wreath, the hair is parted from the centre and rolled back over the ears, with two rosettes on the left side. The right side of the forehead and part of the nose are damaged. The wreath and top-knot (which is here mutilated) were very fashionable at this period. The small, pretty features call to mind those of contemporary terracotta figurines.