A LARGE SCHIST HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA WITH A ‘KĪRTIMUKHA’ TURBAN, GANDHARA, 4TH–5TH CENTURY, FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF BEGUM BAKHT ZEBA

Expert’s note: The turban on the present bodhisattva head has remained largely intact, providing an opportunity to observe ancient haute couture. It gives an exacting rendition of a Kushan turban, with figural decoration at the sides and ruffled fabric surrounding a prominent crest depicting a kirtimukha spewing strings of pearls. The vast majority of Gandharan bodhisattva sculptures have damaged or lost turban crests, making the present head exceptionally rare.

Finely carved, the serene face with heavy-lidded almond-shaped eyes, elegantly arched brows, full lips, and a wavy mustache, flanked by leogryph earrings. His coiffure is secured by a finely embellished and jeweled turban that is immaculately arranged in a topknot fronted by a crest depicting a large foliate blossom centered by a lion head that vomits a garland of pearls, the string of beads swooping to the sides and pinned in place by foliate medallions centered by neatly carved Hellenistic ‘Hercules’ heads.

Provenance: The private collection of the Princess of Swat, Begum Bakht Zeba Bibi, c. 1970s. Collection of Julian Cerne (1938-2023), Slovenia, acquired from the above in the 1980s and thence by descent in the family. A copy of a declaration from the Royal Family of Swat, signed and sealed by Begum Bakht Zeba Bibi, confirming the provenance above, accompanies this lot. Princess Begum Bakht Zeba Bibi was the wife of Prince Miangul Jahan Zeb (1908-1987), the last Wali of Swat, who was popular for promoting education in the region. He served as the Wali of Swat between 1949-1969, taking over from his father, Miangul Abdul Wadud. The Wali was keen to preserve the history of his principality and investigate its archaeology. In 1955 he invited the Italian Archaeological Mission in Swat to the valley under the leadership of the noted scholar Giuseppe Tucci. In 1958 he sponsored the building of the Swat Museum, which contains exceptionally fine examples of Gandharan art and artifacts.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, obvious losses, chips, nicks, scratches, structural fissures, signs of weathering and erosion, and encrustations.

Weight: 51.6 kg (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 50 cm (excl. stand), 62 cm (incl. stand)

Mounted on an associated stand. (2)

The lion, regarded as the king of all beasts, was an ancient emblem of power, authority, and divine protection across many early civilizations. In the Gandharan context, the lion held particular resonance as a symbol associated with the Buddha himself, who is often referred to as the Lion of the Shakyas. The Buddha’s preaching was poetically described as the Siṃhanada, or Lion’s Roar, a metaphor for the power and truth of his teaching. In sculpture, he is frequently shown seated upon a Siṃhasana, the lion throne, signifying spiritual sovereignty.

Within Gandharan art, the lion motif reflects both Hellenistic and Indian traditions. It appears in architectural elements, thrones, and headdresses as a guardian image—protective yet regal. Comparable motifs are found across the ancient world: gold vessels from Bactria, Crete, Greece, Etruria, and Persia bear lion heads gripping the rims between their jaws, symbolizing guardianship over sacred or precious contents. In Gandhara, this imagery found new life in the adornment of bodhisattvas and divine beings.

Particularly striking is the use of the kirtimukha—a leonine face or mask—often positioned on crowns or turbans, its gaping mouth disgorging strings of pearls, garlands of beads, and jeweled tassels. This vivid image symbolized the transmission of spiritual power and the benefits derived from the Buddha’s voice. The combination of the lion’s fierce protective energy with the refined grace of Gandharan craftsmanship exemplifies the syncretic spirit of this art, merging local belief, Buddhist symbolism, and classical aesthetics into a single, harmonious form.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related head of a Bodhisattva with a similar lion crest, dated to the 4^th-5^th century, formerly in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia, and now returned to Pakistan. Compare a related gray schist figure of the four-armed Hariti with a similar kiritmukha crest spewing pearls, Sahri-Bahlol, dated to the 2^nd-3^rd century, 118 cm high, in the Peshawar Museum, accession number PM-02895. Compare a related Gupta sandstone head of Vishnu with a similar crest adorning the headdress, Central India, dated c. 300s, 40.6 cm high, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 1969.57.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 10 April 2025, lot 192
Price: EUR 104,000 or approx. EUR 106,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A monumental and highly important gray schist head of a bodhisattva with a ‘Garuda’ turban crest, ancient region of Gandhara, 4^th-5^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving. Note the larger size (70 cm) and different turban crest.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 23 July 2020, lot 809
Price: USD 50,075 or approx. EUR 59,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A schist head of Siddhartha, Ancient region of Gandhara, circa 3rd century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving. Note the smaller size (33.7 cm) and different turban crest.

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