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Head of a Man

2nd-3rd century CE

Pakistan, Gandhara area

Schist

H. 6 x W. 5 x D. 5 in. (15.2 x 12.7 x 12.7 cm)

Asia Society, New York: Estate of Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller, 1993.1

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Once part of a full statue, this small head of a man illustrates an interest in portraiture in the art of Gandhara. The Kushan rulers of Gandhara often had themselves depicted on coins while other individuals had themselves depicted as donors or attendants in scenes representing worship of the Buddha. It seems likely that this head was once part of such a scene. The fleshiness and maturity of the face and the depiction of the close-cropped hairstyle reflect the Roman interest in nonidealized portraiture and attest to the influence of Western traditions on the art of Gandhara.