Unknown
Buddha Shakyamuni2nd century

On view:

Resnick Pavilion, floor 1

Stone or stucco sculpture of a standing robed figure with one hand raised, palm outward, on a pedestal carved with rosette medallions

Gray schist sculpture of a standing figure in Gandharan style, draped in a robe with deeply carved parallel folds, right hand raised, standing on a rectangular base with carved rosette motifs.

Gray schist bust sculpture of a Buddha figure in Gandharan style, with ushnisha, tightly waved hair, downcast eyes, elongated earlobes, and draped robes rendered in parallel ridged folds, against a dark background.

Gray schist sculpture of a standing Buddha figure in Gandharan style, wearing a draped sanghati robe with deeply carved parallel folds, one hand raised in abhaya mudra, with ushnisha and halo visible against a dark background.

Gray schist sculpture fragment, lower body of a standing figure draped in deeply carved flowing robes, bare feet on a rectangular pedestal with carved rosette relief decoration in Gandharan style.

Artist or Maker: Unknown
Title: Buddha Shakyamuni
Place Made: Pakistan, Gandhara region
Date Made: 2nd century
Medium: Gray schist
Dimensions: 47 1/2 x 16 x 19 1/2 in. (120.65 x 40.64 x 49.53 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Lidow in honor of the museum's twenty-fifth anniversary
Accession Number: M.91.90
Classification: Sculpture
Collecting Area: South and Southeast Asian Art
Curatorial Notes: Gandharan images of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni (traditionally dated to 563–483 BCE) typically portray him in a monastic robe that was likely modeled on Roman togas. The adoption of garb for Gandharan Buddhas reflects the artistic influences that accompanied Greco-Roman traders along the Silk Routes from the Mediterranean region into Indo-Greek provinces (satrapies) located in ancient Gandhara in present-day northwestern Pakistan and northeastern Afghanistan.

This representation of the Buddha depicts him in the standard monastic robe (sanghati), fashioned here with symmetrical pleats, and an undergarment that hangs down to above his ankles and bare feet. The nimbate Buddha has wavy hair and a cranial protuberance (ushnisha) emblematic of his omniscience. His elongated earlobes symbolize his renunciation of the material world. At the bridge of his nose is a circular sacred marking (urna) that signifies his enlightenment. His right hand, which was made separately and secured by a metal tenon, is held in the ‘fear-not’ gesture (abhaya mudra). His left hand grasps the hem of his monastic garment. The Buddha stands on a rectangular base adorned with lotus medallions and splayed foliage.
Selected Bibliography: Dobbins, James C. Behold the Buddha: Religious Meanings of Japanese Buddhist Icons. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2020.
Little, Stephen, and Tushara Bindu Gude. Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art across Asia. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2025.

Monday	11 am–6 pm
Tuesday	11 am–6 pm
Wednesday	Closed
Thursday	11 am–6 pm
Friday	11 am–8 pm
Saturday	10 am–7 pm
Sunday	10 am–7 pm