{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O24843"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O24843/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0879/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH0879/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH0879","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT9285","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KU5867","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EN9679","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O24843/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O24843","accessionNumber":"IS.318-1951","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Female attendant","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"These two figures once formed part of the decoration of a Buddhist monument in the Gandharan region of Pakistan. Both were once richly painted, and traces of yellow, red, and brown iron-oxides are still clearly visible. They are made of stucco, a plaster largely composed of lime and sand. \r\n\r\nThe male figure is dressed in princely attire. His robes are draped in a Hellenistic manner and he wears an elaborate diadem or crown over long flowing hair. He gestures to his left, perhaps in the direction of central subject of the composition, presumably a figure of the Buddha. \r\n\r\nThe female figure is similarly clad in a diaphanous robe, although here only her lower body is covered. She is bare-breasted and wears arm and wrist ornaments. Her long hair is secured with an undecorated headband. Curiously, she appears to have two small fangs protruding from her upper jaw. This suggests that she represents some demonic creature converted by the Buddha’s teachings.\r\n\r\nThe rapid expansion of Buddhist monasteries demanded quicker and less expensive methods of decoration. Stucco satisfied this need and was widely used in the later Gandharan period. Section moulds were also frequently employed.","physicalDescription":"A female attendant from a larger group which included I.S.319-1951. She is modelled in full relief emerging from a plain background which has been broken off from the rest of the monument . She is standing frontally with her right hip swaying out a little as she rests most of her weight on her left leg while she turns her head to look to her left., presumably towards a figure of Buddha. Her  left hand rests on her side below her waist, the right arm having been broken off at the elbow. She is wearing a clinging tunic over a full-length under garment  with a long sash wrapped round her hips and looped down in front towards her knees and tied with a bow behind on her left side with the ends rippling down by her left leg. Her hair is caught back in a plain band and she is wearing bangles, anklets and heavy conical earrings with tassel ends.  Her features and details of her clothing are picked out in a red ochre which is also painted over the background.She has staring eyes and small upturning fangs at either side of her mouth, perhaps indicating that she was once a local demon who converted to Buddhism.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Polychromed stucco","categories":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[{"text":"Gandharan","id":"AAT18889"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AH0879","2017JT9285","2018KU5867","2011EN9679"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47A (VA)","id":"THES49797"},"free":"","case":"CA008","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Pakistan","id":"x30015"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"excavated by Captain John Hay in the Khyber Agency, formerly part of the North West Frontier Province. A companion piece with I.S.319-1951"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"4th century-5th century","earliest":"0300-01-01","latest":"0500-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"","id":""},"association":""}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"38","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"7.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"One of a collection of objects excavated by Captain John Hay , I.S.313-335-1951, who supplied a note on the location retained in the Museum's registered papers of the several sites he dug whence came this collection. However, there are not specific locations for the individual objects.","historicalContext":"Stucco, a plaster largely composed of lime and sand, was widely used in the later Gandharan period. Section moulds were frequently employed. The rapid expansion of Buddhist monasteries demanded quicker and less expensive methods of decoration.  Stucco satisfied this need. These two figures show evidence of being richly painted, with traces of yellow, red, and brown iron-oxides  still visible. The male figure is dressed in princely attire; the female is clad in a diaphanous robe and has fangs protruding from her upper jaw, suggesting that she represents some demonic force. These figures probably formed part of a relief decorating a Buddhist monument.","briefDescription":"Female attendant, polychromed stucco, Gandhara, Pakistan, 4th-5th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John (ed.). ‘L’Escultura en els Temples Indis: L’Art de la Devocio’, Barcelona : Fundacio ‘La Caixa’, 2007. p.131\r\nISBN 9788476649466"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhism","id":"AAT73738"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"1. Buddhist Attendant Figures\r\n300–500\r\nThese two figures once formed part of the decoration of a Buddhist monument. The male wears a diadem. The female has fangs, suggesting that she represents a demon converted by the Buddha’s teachings. Stucco, a composition with lime and sand, was often used in the later Gandharan period. The two figures were richly painted.\r\nLime composition with traces of paint\r\nGandhara/North-west Pakistan (Khyber Pass region)\r\nMuseum nos. IS.318, 319-1951","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.318-1951"],"accessionNumberNum":"318","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1951,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"","id":""},"number":""}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV8868"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}