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Head of a Bodhisattva
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
The elaborate jewelry and distinctive hairstyle identify this figure as a bodhisattva, an individual who has achieved Buddhist enlightenment but has yet to enter nirvana. The jewelry is meant to recall the life of Prince Siddhartha, who would become the earthly Buddha during the 6th century BC. Many sculptures of this type were created in the Gandharan region of present-day Pakistan. This region had fallen under the control of Alexander the Great during his conquest in the 4th century BC, and the sculptors there were greatly influenced by Greco-Roman artistic traditions.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Alexander B. Griswold, Monkton [date and mode of acquisition unknown] [presented to the Breezewood Foundation (?)]; Walters Art Museum, 1992, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 5/10/1995 | Treatment | cleaned; other |
Geographies
Pakistan, Gandharan Region (Kushan Empire) (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 8 1/4 × W: 8 1/2 × D: 5 5/16 in. (21 × 21.6 × 13.5 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of A. B. Griswold, 1992
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
25.115