The Kingdom of Gandhara Schist Stone Female Figure

Artist: Unknown (The Kingdom of Gandhara 1st - 2nd Century AD).
Title: Female Figure (A devotee with jewelled headdress, necklace and folded hands).
Medium: Schist stone, on a wooden plinth.
Size: Height 22 cm x Width 7.5 cm x Depth 7.5 cm.
Condition: Some losses, wear consistent with age.
Provenance: The Collection was assembled in the 1950s and 60s by His Excellency Mr Aslam Malik former Pakistan High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand. Thence is by family descent to the previous owner Wright Gallery Fine Art acquiring part collection in 2018.

Exhibition History: “A Perspective In History and Art from Ancient Times Pakistan” Exhibition held at The Pakistan Embassy, Canberra, Australia, opening on the 26th of March 1969. “5000 years of Pakistan; Art and Archaeology” Exhibition held at The Art Gallery of New South Wales, (AGNSW ) Sydney, Australia 15th August 1969-07 Sep 1969 Lot 117.

Aslam Malik was a scholar, collector, author and Pakistan government representative. He held a great passion for Art and Archeology specifically that of which was representative of his own cultural heritage. The Exhibition was opened on the 26th of March 1969 by Her Excellency, Lady Casey at the Pakistan Embassy, Canberra. The exhibition was a display of Antiquities from the Private collection of Mr Malik in conjunction with works held in the collections of the Museums of Peshawar, Lahore, Taxila, Mohenjo-Daro and the National Museum of Karachi. The Exhibition was assembled with the assistance of DR F. A. Khan Director of Archeology, Government of Pakistan. Selected pieces from the Canberra exhibition were further exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 15th August 1969–07 September 1969. The Catalogue has descriptions of all works within the Exhibition. A Hunting Frieze (representations of the former lives of Buddha) was donated by Mr Malik from his personal collection to the AGNSW in 1970. Accession Number EV1.1970.

This item complies with the "UNESCO 1970 Rule” which states that antiquities should be held suspect and considered illicit only if they have no collecting or excavation history prior to 1970. All pieces sold through Wright Gallery Fine Art will be accompanied by a digitally printed colour copy of the exhibition catalogue from the AGNSW with annotations made to the specific lot number where applicable. All items offered are specifically mentioned in the Art Gallery of New South Wales catalogue (except the pottery fragments) and were also exhibited in the Canberra Exhibition and are all from the Private Collection of Mr Aslam Malik. A rare single copy of the original exhibition catalogue from the Art Gallery of New South Wales, “5000 years of Pakistan; Art and Archaeology” 1969 is available for purchase together with the Antiquities. Three original copies of “A Perspective In History and Art from Ancient Times Pakistan” from the Canberra exhibition are also available for purchase.

About: Female Figure (A devotee with jewelled headdress, necklace and folded hands) The figure sits on a hardwood plinth and is easily demountable. This is a fine example of Gandhara sculpture with exceptional provenance and exhibition history.

The Kingdom of Gandhara was located in the region of present ­day northern Pakistan and Afghanistan and was part of the Kushan Empire. Buddhism was the dominant religion of the Kushan Empire and the basic repertoire of Buddhist iconography was developed during the Kushan period around the 1st century BC. The materials used in Gandhara sculpture included grey schist stone and stucco, the latter usually painted in naturalistic colours.