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Sarnath: Buddha and Attendants
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Sarnath: Buddha and Attendants
INDIA, Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi; circa 476; Sandstone; H: 190 cm; Archaeological Museum, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, India
A rare inscription on the stele dates it to 476 during the Gupta period (circa 320–550). It was about this time that bowl-shaped lotus pedestals started to appear in Sarnath. Two outgrowths from the main stem support small Bodhisattvas on either side of the Buddha figure. Two devotees are kneeling beneath the central lotus. Only one of the two apsaras hovering around the Buddha's head remains.
The Buddha's rounded face is typically seen on sculptures from Sarnath, with lowered eyes and a thicker lower lip. The figure wears a thin monastic robe that covers both shoulders and reveals the shape of the body. The left leg is bent and slightly advanced, creating an illusion of forward motion. |
