A beautiful and very rare Gandharan schist-stone cosmetic Palette or Buddhist shrine, dating to the 1st-3rd Century A.D.
The oval shaped artifact with smooth, lipped back, ornately carved surface and hinge socket at the top. The surface decorated with a lion, the front feet crossed and the tail curved around the hind legs. Intricate floral decoration surrounds the creature. Deeply carved and drilled to create a powerful aesthetic.
The function of the piece is not clear, although the carved recess at the top suggests that a hinge was affixed, likely attaching it to a similarly carved oval section to form a complete portable palette or shrine. Buddhist merchants from ancient Gandhara are known to have produced portable accessories in Schist, carried with them along the silk route. Similar hinged shrines can be seen in Behrendt, The Art of Gandhara, p.81-81.
Height mounted: 4 1/4 inches.
Height: 3 inches
Width: 4 1/8 inches.
Provenance:
Ex.Collection of Mr. Terrence Eva, London, acquired 1960's-1980's from the London art market.
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