Post-Gandharan period, eastern Afghanistan, 6^th-8^th century. Gracefully modeled, the deity seated in lalitasana on a throne with his feet supported by Chakra purusha, the right hand held in varada mudra while the left holds a kalasha. Three-headed, the main head flanked by a lion head to his right and a boar head to his left. Dressed in a dhoti tied at the waist, the deity is adorned with elaborate jewelry, his serene face with almond-shaped eyes below arched brows centered by a third eye, above bow-shaped lips, and prominent chin, the hair secured in a tall chignon and backed by an elaborate tiara.

Standing to his right is the goddess Gadadevi, the female personification of his battle mace. The earth goddess Prithvi kneels to his left, her elbow supporting the deity’s leg, while a small celestial being with a garland graces the throne back.

Provenance: Collection of Yvette Starck, Luxembourg, and thence by descent to Jacques Grosbusch, Luxembourg. A copy of a provenance statement, written and signed by Jacques Grosbusch, dated 31 July 2024, and confirming the above, accompanies this lot.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Wear, obvious losses, old repairs, small chips, few nicks, soil encrustations, signs of weathering and erosion.

Weight: 27.1 kg
Dimensions: Height 55 cm

This complex form of Vishnu is identifiable by the epithet Para-Vasudeva, ‘the highest god’. The lion and boar represent Vishnu’s Varaha and Narasimha avatars. Similar carvings include a fourth face on the back, a demonic, grimacing representation with fangs and a vertical third eye on the forehead.

The post-Gandhara period (6^th-10^th centuries) marked a transition in Central Asian art, blending Gandharan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Indian influences. Under the Turk Shahi and later Hindu Shahi dynasties, marble sculpture flourished, showcasing a unique fusion of styles that reflected the region’s cultural diversity.

One prominent example is Khair Khaneh, a Brahmin temple near Kabul, which existed during a time of regional Hindu hegemony. Its marble statuary combines Kushano-Sasanian motifs with early Hindu iconography, such as depictions of Shiva with tridents and intricate ornaments. These sculptures demonstrate both artistic innovation and religious pluralism, as Hindu and Buddhist imagery coexisted.

Post-Gandhara marble sculptures serve as vital records of the evolving artistic traditions and religious practices in Central Asia, highlighting the region’s role as a cultural crossroads during the medieval era.

Literature comparison:
For related Shahi sculptures, see Donald M. Stadtner, 'Shahi Sculpture Revisited,' Orientations, October 1999, p. 68-73, including a similar marble figure of Surya from Khair Khaneh, formerly in the Kabul Museum and dated circa late 4^th-1^st half of the 5^th century, 110 cm high, illustrated ibid., fig. 1. Compare another figure of Surya from Khair Khaneh, dated 6^th-7^th century, illustrated by Joseph Hackin, Recherches Archéologiques au Col de Khair khaneh près de Kābul, vol. 1, 1936, pl. XIV.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s Amsterdam, 18 October 2005, lot 14
Price: EUR 11,950 or approx. EUR 18,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Hindu Shahi marble bust of Vaikuntavishnu, circa 8^th century
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and iconography. Note the smaller size (28 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 11 October 2023, lot 234
Price: EUR 36,400 or approx. EUR 38,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A limestone figure of the three-headed Vaikuntha Vishnu, Hindu Shahi
Expert remark: Compare the related modeling and iconography. Note the larger size (85.4 cm).