A GREY SCHIST CARVING OF A FEMALE ATTENDANT UNDER AN ARCHED TORANA
PROPERTY FROM THE MOITA COLLECTION OF GANDHARA ART
Ancient region of Gandhara, 2nd - 3rd century

The grey schist fragment depicting a female attendant standing in the middle of a horseshoe arch, its sides decorated with geometric motifs, the inner arch surmounted by an outer ogival arch in relief, reminiscent of certain Buddhist Toranas, the attendant clad with a heavy multi-folded tunic, sitting on her shoulder in a style reminiscent of Greco-Roman togas, holding a flower garland on one hand and the robe on the latter, her hair tied up in a bun, mounted on a later wooden pedestal, 15.5cm x 9.5cm excluding the base.

For a similar example of architectural arched friezes with figural decoration, please see Kurt Behrendt, The Art of Gandhara in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2007, cat. 36.