Donor

Mustached, without a beard, this donor appears to be wearing a garment imitating a saṃghāṭi. The locks of hair are stylised and consist of rows of round, flat curls framing the face. The slightly sunken eyes give the figure an expressive character. Note that on this face with Western-inspired features is superimposed the Indian element: the greatly enlarged earlobes. The donor wears a cloak that leaves the right shoulder uncovered, in the manner of the uttarāsaṅga, but here he wears a long-sleeved garment underneath. Unlike the saṃghāṭi, the cloak has a wide flange decorated with summary incisions. With his right hand he holds the two sides of this flange, forming a small loop of clothing at the chest. With his left hand, he holds it at hip level. At the wrists, two large bracelets can be seen. Although this posture, similar to that of the Buddhas, gives movement to the figure and to the folds of clothing, the drapery is rather rigid and rough, represented by simple incisions. Under the clothes, the ankles of the figure can be seen. Although this part of the work is broken, the bumpy forms refer to the boots of the Kuśans.

Acquired through a fund established by Ernest B. and Helen Pratt Dane for the purchase of Asian art in memory of Benjamin Rowland Jr. this work is held at the Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum. In period photographs, it was associated with a female donor (HADB 477). It is likely that both were part of a scene depicting the mokṣa ceremony, as can be seen for example in stūpas 17 and 26 of Tapa-e Shotor.

Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

https://hvrd.art/o/202280

This donor can be compared with figure HADB 133.