A Fine Gandharan Head of a Buddha

An Over Life-Size Powerful Roman Male Portrait Head of Constantine the Great (c.272 - 337) Wearing the ‘Imperial Oak Wreath’ the decorative border of his ‘tunic’ can still be clearly seen on the left hand side Marble Italy Early 4th Century AD SIZE: 38cm high, 24.5cm wide, 25cm deep - 15cm high, 9¾ ins wide, 10 ins deep PROVENANCE: Ex Private collection, Cambridge, England note: For a very similar over life-size portrait head of Constantine I (the Great) wearing an identical wreath dating from the early 4th century AD see: Yorkshire Museum, York, inv. no. ‘YORYM’ 1998.23. Found in ‘Eboracum’ (York) in 1823 LITERATURE: Rinaldi Tufi, S., Yorkshire. ‘Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani (Great Britain)’; vol. 1, fasc. 3, Yorkshire. Oxford University Press, 1983; 23, no. 38, pl. 12 In AD 306, Constantine was hailed emperor in the Roman city of York; he was the first emperor to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, the son of Flavius Constantius, and Helena, a woman of low birth and a christian. Following his campaigns in the eastern provinces, Constantine was recalled in 305 AD to fight alongside his father in the province of Britannia. After his father’s death in 306 AD, Constantine was acclaimed as ‘imperator’ by his army at Eboracum (York) eventually being declared victorious after the civil wars against emperors, Maxentius and Licinius to become sole ruler of the Roman Empire in 324 AD. Constantine’s Christian belief cannot be underestimated, establishing the foundations of ‘Western Christendom’. In 313 AD he was influential in the proclamation of the ‘Edict of Milan, declaring tolerance of Christianity within the Roman Empire. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the purported site of Jesus’s tomb...

A Rare and Important Late Roman Marble Column With a fluted spiral central column shaft rising to a carved integral capital with Corinthian ‘acanthus’ leaf decoration, the base with ...

A Finely Carved Gandhara Head of ‘Atlas’ Grey schist India 3rd - 4th Centuries AD SIZE: 19cm high, 11cm wide, 12.5cm deep - 7½ ins high, 4¼ ins wide, 5 ins deep References Pratap...

A Heavy Cast Gilded Bronze Right Hand of the Buddha Shakyamuni Showing the gesture of meditation Old smooth dark patina with remains of gilding China 15th Century - Early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) SIZE: 25cm long, 13.5cm wide, 10cm deep – 9¾ ins long, 5¼ ins wide, 4 ins deep The forefinger and little finger of this hand are slightly lifted away from the others and are making the gesture of meditation, which is associated with the moment of the Buddha’s enlightenment. From the position of the fingers it is probable that this is the right hand of a monumental, double life size, image of the Buddha seated in meditation. Provenance: Ex Finch and Co...

A Fine Flemish Carved Figure of a Man Attributed to Henrick Douverman (c. 1480 - 1543) (sometimes known as Heinrich Douwermann) Wood (oak) Flemish Early 16th Century SIZE: 28cm high...

A Fine and Decorative Pair of Rampant Lions With scrolling foliate supports, raised upon floral stepped bases Wood, polychrome, gilt Anglo–Indian Mid 19th Century Size: 89cm high, 26cm deep, approx. 50cm wide - 35 ins high, 10¼ ins deep, approx. 19¾ ins wide Provenance: Ex Private English collection Probably from a huge ‘armorial’ device or building pediment...

A sublime Greco-Buddhist stucco head of the Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, circa 3rd-5th century. A fragment of a larger statue, the Buddha's face...

A lovely small stucco head of the Buddha, ancient region of Gandhara, probably Hadda, 5th to 6th century, modern day Afghanistan. Beautifully rendered, the small Gandharan Buddha...

A bold and expressive Gandharan carved gray schist column capital fragment, circa 2nd - 3rd century, ancient region of Gandhara. The fragment of a c...

A sublime molded stucco head of a young male donor from the ancient region of Gandhara, 4th-5th century. The youthful nobleman sculpted in an idealized...

This marble head of Buddha is of Gandhara culture, Pakistan, 6th century. This piece is part of designer John Brevard's personal collection and has been...

A charming pair of Gandharan molded stucco heads of donors, ancient region of Gandhara (modern day Pakistan / Afghanistan), probably Taxila, circa 3rd-5th century. The two heads most likely represent donors. Donors to temples would often have their images enshrined in the artworks of temple walls in thanks for their support. One head portrays a youthful figure with a plump, smiling face, and full head of hair arranged in fat curls and secured by a headband. The androgynous figure...