A TERRACOTTA HEAD OF MAITREYA, GANDHARA Ancient region of Gandhara, 4th-5th century. The head modeled with finely curled hair and wearing an elaborate beaded tiara centered by a flower, the face with elegant features, such as the finely incised arched eyebrows, aquiline nose, gentle smile, and long earlobes with circular floral earrings. Provenance: Arthur Huc (1854-1932). Marcel Huc, inherited from the above. Thence by descent within the same family. In 1954, L. Magniette, bailiff of the court in Toulouse (Huissier), was ordered to compile a complete inventory of the collection inherited by Marcel Huc from his father, Arthur Huc, the so-called "Inventaire Huc". The present lot is listed in this inventory as follows: "Serie de vingt deux têtes en terrecuite. GANDHARA" (series of twenty-two terracotta heads. GANDHARA). A copy of the inventory list and cover page are accompanying this lot. Condition: Excellent, almost unique condition, fully consistent with the age of the sculpture, some firing flaws and insignificant material loss to some exposed areas, hardly noticeable due to a light-colored varnish coating which was applied long time ago. Scientific Analysis Report: A Thermoluminescence sample analysis has been conducted by Oxford Authentication, TL test no. N116n14, dated 18 October 2016, and is consistent with the suggested period of manufacture, a copy of the thermoluminescence analysis report accompanies this lot (the original is lost). Weight: 5.4 kg in total Dimensions: Height 29 cm (the head) and 44.5 cm (incl. base) According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya is a bodhisattva who will appear on Earth in the future, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya refers to a time in the future when the dharma will have been forgotten by most on the terrestrial world. In the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, in the first centuries CE in northern India, Maitreya was the most popular figure to be represented along with Gautama Buddha. The kingdom of Gandhara lasted from 530 BC to 1021 AD, when its last king was murdered by his own troops. It stretched across parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhara is noted for its distinctive style in Buddhist art, which developed out of a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian and Indian artistic influence. Gandharan style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period, from the 1st to the 5th century. In the first century AD, Gandhara was the birthplace of some of the earliest Buddhist images. The use of hard-fired ceramic instead of stone such as schist was popular during the later Gandharan period from the 4th to 6th centuries AD. Fired clay was expensive in the area, because the wood needed for the firing process was scarce. Therefore, such an expensive sculpture would have been a highly meritorious Buddhist offering. Only very few terracotta statues from this period and size have ever been recorded. Mounted on an associated base. (2)