A very rare piece. Crisply modeled and carved with wide set almond shaped eyes, a straight nose and full lips, all below wavy hair gathered into a domed ushnisha and between elongated earlobes, traces of pigment.

This rare painted stucco head of the Buddha is an early piece of Gandhara art. The Buddha's expression is solemn and peaceful, and the shape of the head is oval and comparatively short, after the fashion of the Afghan area. The almond-shaped eyes are open, with heavy eyelids. The nose is high and straight, and the full lips are slightly pursed. A faint smile is playing around the Buddha's lips. His wavy hair is combed back and gathered into a domed ushnisha, symbol of his spiritual attainment. Traces of pigment can be seen in parts of the face, such as red on the lips and baihao, and black for the pupils.

Stucco sculptures burned at a high temperature first appeared about A.D. 25-60 in Taxila, the capital of Gandhara, even earlier than the schist sculptures that are so famous today. Since the material was comparatively cheap and convenient to come by, and could easily be shaped with the help of molds, the art and manufacture of stucco sculptures developed rapidly, spreading across all of Afghanistan and neighboring areas. The style and appearance of this lifelike Buddha head was obviously influenced by Afghan art. The head's short, rounded shape and the polychrome painting, most likely place the piece in the early or middle period of Gandhara art.

H: 14.5 cm