Art Institute of Chicago

Buddha Head

Afghanistan or Pakistan

Date

3rd-5th century

Medium

Stucco

Culture

Gandhara

Department

Arts of Asia

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This Buddha head is made from stucco, a type of lime plaster that can be either pressed into molds for mass production or built up in layers and hand-modeled to create individualized details. Here the Buddha has common features for the ancient region of Gandhara (present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan), such as half-lidded eyes, a straight nose, and a slight smile. But he is missing the characteristic topknot-covered bump on the head ( ushnisha ) and tuft of hair between the eyes ( urna ) that represent the Buddha's overflowing wisdom. These features may have been damaged when the weight of the solid head caused it to fall away from its hollow body and the dome-shaped funerary monument ( stupa ) that it likely decorated.

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