A LARGE PINK SANDSTONE HEAD OF BUDDHA, MATHURA, KUSHAN PERIOD

India, Uttar Pradesh, 2^nd-3^rd century. Superbly carved with bold, over-sized features typical of the Kushan period, the Buddha’s serene expression marked by heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, deeply defined brows, and plum lips forming a calm smile, flanked by low ears with slightly elongated lobes and framed by the smooth short hair.

Provenance: Collection of C. T. Loo, Paris, prior to 1957. Frank Caro, C. T. Loo Chinese Art, New York, September 1961. A private collection in New York, acquired from the above and thence by descent. Sotheby’s New York, 24 March 2011, lot 6. A private collection in the United States, acquired from the above. The base with two old inventory labels, ‘15 11048’ and ‘N067270006’. The back of the head inscribed with an old inventory number, ‘210 XX 90X […]’. Ching Tsai Loo (1880-1957) was an eminent Chinese art dealer and connoisseur who played a pivotal role in introducing Chinese art and antiquities to the Western world during the early 20th century. In 1902, Loo relocated to Paris, which became the center of his operations and where he established his first gallery, Loo & Co., in 1908. His business expanded to New York, where he opened a gallery on Fifth Avenue in 1927. He became a central figure in the international art market, dealing in Chinese antiquities, including sculptures, ceramics, and bronzes. In 1952, his associate Frank Caro (1904-1980) took over daily operations of the New York business. Until his death in 1957, Loo continued to play a large role in the business. Loo's work profoundly influenced the collections of major Western museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre, and the British Museum.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Possibly with minor old fills and/or touchups. Extensive wear, losses, signs of weathering and erosion, encrustations, nicks, chips, scratches, structural fissures.

Weight: 27.2 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 30.5 cm (excl. stand), 57 cm (incl. stand)

With an associated old wood base. (2)

Due to its location on the caravan trade routes through central India, Mathura was for centuries an important economic center. In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, it became a capital for the mighty Kushan Empire. During this time, both in Mathura and the region of Gandhara simultaneously, images of Buddha began to appear in anthropomorphic form for the first time. In contrast to Gandhara, where Graeco-Roman concerns for naturalism were stressed, the body types of the Mathura Buddhas convey an idealized Indian vitality.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related red sandstone head of Buddha, dated to the 2^nd century, Kushan dynasty, Mathura, 19.6 cm tall, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, accession number IM.3-1927. Compare a related Indian red sandstone head of Buddha, dated 1^st-2^nd century, 18.1 cm, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 28.97.2.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 19 March 2014, lot 1069
Price: USD 60,000 or approx. EUR 78,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A red sandstone head of Buddha, India, Mathura, Kushan period, 2nd/3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone and manner of carving with similar eyes, hair, brows, and lips. Note the related size (33.5 cm).