Northern Wei Dynasty, 386-534 AD. A gilt-bronze figure, influenced by the Gandharan style or that of the neighbouring Uddiyana region, depicting two Buddhas (Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna) kneeling on a tiered base with flaming aureole behind. See Dr. Naiki, S., Similarities and Differences in Gandharan Sculptures Among Regions, Thursday 22nd to Friday 23rd March 2018, The Geography of Gandharan Art: 2nd Workshop of the Gandhara Connections Project, Classical Art Research Centre, University of Oxford. 341 grams, 14.5cm (5 3/4"). Buckingham Collection, early 1960s to 1970s. Late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is apanied by AIAD certificate number no.11075-184861. Gandhara was the principal gateway through which Buddhism spread to China. Academic research conducted after the death of Nik Douglas (above) explains that Gandharan sculpture has been found in neighbouring regions, such as in Uddiyana. Sculpture from the Gandharan and Uddiyana regions has similar characteristics and as a result has often remained undifferentiated. As a result of this recent research however, it is bing more feasible to identify distinctions between the sculpture of these different regions.[A video of this lot is available to view on Timeline Auctions .]