Maitreya, head

Description

In Buddhism, Maitreya is considered the Buddha of the future. He may be depicted as a bodhisattva—a Buddha-to-be, in the garb of an Indian prince, with long hair and jewels—or as a Buddha—an enlightened one, in a monk's robe and with a shaved head or short, curly hair. This head is an example of a very early image of Maitreya, and comes from Gandhara, a region at the northwestern frontiers of traditional India (parts of modern Pakistan and Afghanistan). Gandhara had been Hellenized under the rule of followers of Alexander the Great, and Greco-Roman ideals of beauty are seen in this sharply chiseled, youthful and meditative face.
M. Graybill, Senior Curator of Asian Art, June 2004