A gray schist bust of Shakyamuni Buddha, Ancient region of Gandhara, 3rd / 4th century

Acquired in London, circa 2000.

The seven lots of finely carved Gandharan sculpture offered here, lots 828-834, emanate from the collection of Paul Theroux, the celebrated travel writer and novelist, famous especially for ‘The Mosquito Coast’. His fascination with Gandharan art was inspired by the first piece he saw, the statue of Fasting Siddhartha in the Lahore Museum in October 1973.