Head of Buddha, ca. 5th–6th century
Present day Afghanistan, probably from Hadda
Stucco with gesso, traces of paint
The well-preserved surface and traces of paint provide a clear idea of what this exceptional head would have looked like when it was consecrated. The treatment of the eyes and intersecting plains of the forehead and eyebrows shows clear correspondences with the Gupta traditions of north India.
© 2000–2012 The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Beautiful!
I wonder why this image of the Buddha has the folded-skinflap gene typical of further East. Unless the first Buddha came from central asia around Balkh, the first crossroads of the Nile-Euphrates-Indus-Ganges-Yellow River-Yanghze Kiang trade around 300-600 BCE. Also have heard it called the axial age, where major works of arts and literature were documented in several languages... as if there were writing factories that simultaneously had book written in 10-15 languages from one dictation read in 10-15 languages, in places like Balkh and the other major tradeing stops along the trade route.. The again, there could have been Buddhas of every different shape and size in that era, and all we have is that specimen to guess at the original image. :)
epicanthal fold
Amazing .
love love love
hes beautiful!