{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O24948"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O24948/"}},"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":"2017JT9283","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2018KU5867","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O24948/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O24948","accessionNumber":"IS.319:1, 2-1951","objectType":"Sculpture","titles":[{"title":"Male attendant","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"These two figures once formed part of the high-relief decoration of a Buddhist monument in the Gandharan region of Pakistan. The rapid expansion of Buddhist monasteries demanded quicker and less expensive methods of decoration. Stucco, a plaster largely composed of lime and sand, satisfied this need and was widely used in the later Gandharan period. Section moulds were also frequently employed. \r\n\r\nBoth these figures display extensive evidence of being richly painted, with traces of yellow, red, and brown iron-oxides still clearly visible. The male figure is dressed in princely attire, with his robes draped in a Hellenistic manner, and with an elaborate diadem or crown worn 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. The female is similarly clad in a diaphanous robe, though here only her lower body is covered; she is bare breasted and wears arm and wrist ornaments. Her waist-skirt is secured with sash tried in a flamboyant bow to her left; her long hair is secured with an undecorated headband. Curiously, she appears to have two small fangs protruding from her upper jaw, suggesting that she represents some demonic creature, converted by the Buddha's teachings.\r\n\r\nThese figures probably formed part of a relief decorating a Buddhist monument, reportedly from the Khyber Pass region.","physicalDescription":" This standing figure of a princely attendant together with his female companion (I.S.318-1951) once formed part of the high-relief decoration of a Buddhist monument in the Gandharan region of Pakistan.\r\nBoth these figures display extensive evidence of being richly painted, with traces of yellow, red, and brown iron-oxides still clearly visible. The male figure is dressed in princely attire, with his robes draped in a Hellenistic manner, and with an elaborate diadem or crown with a central cockadeworn over curling hair which falls to his shoulders. He is bejewelled with a torque round his neck and a heavy linked necklace slung over his left shoulder and hanging below his chest, together with an armlet and wrist bangle on his remaining right arm. He gestures to his left, although the arm below his shoulder has broken off perhaps in the direction of central subject of the composition, presumably a figure of the Buddha.\r\nThese figures probably formed part of a relief decorating a Buddhist monument, reportedly from the Kyber Pass region.\r\n\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lime composition with traces of polychrome","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"},{"text":"Figures","id":"THES274372"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006AH0879","2017JT9283","2018KU5867"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47A (VA)","id":"THES49797"},"free":"","case":"CA008","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES374314"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}],[{"text":"Fragments","id":"AAT117130"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Gandhara","id":"x32655"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"4th century-5th century","earliest":"0300-01-01","latest":"0500-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"37","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"21.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Purchased from Capt. John Hay in 1951. Stucco, a plaster largely composed of lime and sand, satisfied this need and was widely used in the later Gandharan period. Section moulds were also frequently employed. ","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":"Male attendant, polychromed stucco, Gandhara, Pakistan, 4th-5th century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació \"La Caixa\" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació \"la Caixa\", c2007 Number: 9788476649466","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.131, Cat.86","free":""}],"production":"Khyber region, Gandhara, Pakistan","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Buddhist","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.319:1-1951","IS.319:2-1951"],"accessionNumberNum":"319","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1951,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW1928"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-13","availableToBook":false}}