Bodhisattva

The idealised figure of this Bodhisattva with its gentle, smiling expression bears the mark of Indian influence. He wears a thin headband, the central element of which appears more in relief, arranged on a stylised hairstyle represented by coarse indented notches, including on the uṣnīṣa. He sports thick disc-shaped earrings and a very wide flat necklace. On his left arm, an open bracelet, of which only one end and a circular element are preserved, completed this jewellery ensemble. Dressed in the uttarāsaṅga that leaves the right shoulder uncovered, he holds back a flap of his garment with his left hand. The rendering of the drape, the folded flap over the shoulder, or the one rolled up over the forearm, are carefully executed. The neck is marked with a fold.

The body and the face oriented to the right suggest that this Bodhisattva was probably part of a scene or a group of figures.

Photography: © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

https://collections.ashmolean.org/object/354716