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Bharhut: Head of a Male Figure
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Bharhut: Head of a Male Figure
INDIA, Madhya Pradesh, Bharhut; circa early 1st century BCE; Red sandstone; H: 29.5 cm; Museum of Asian Art, Berlin, Germany
Judging from the size of the head, the figure was most likely of considerable size. The patterned turban and braided hair show detail. The expression on the face is serious with the eyes staring straight ahead. Localized features are represented in the broad nose and small mouth, different from the idealized features that the Buddha himself was eventually to be given in India. The figure was believed modeled on an actual ruler of the time. Some suggest that the deity might be of a naga king, a yaksini, Sarasvati, Vaisravana, or Virudhaka. If so, this would mean that the inclusion of folk religion into Buddhism happened at a very early date. |
