Mathura: Bodhisattva in Contemplation

INDIA, Uttar Pradesh, Mathura

Unearthed from Mathura, the statue dates from towards the end of the Kushan period (circa 1st–3rd century). Bodhisattavas posing in the contemplative posture were rare then, but went on to become an influential aspect of portrayals of Maitreya Bodhisattva.
The position involves the right foot resting on the left knee as the figure sits with one leg overhanging a bench. Here a pair of Gandharan thonged sandals rests upon the footstool beneath, while a row of standing figures is carved in relief on the base. Another element of the position is the right elbow resting on the knee as the hand supports the cheek on two fingers.
The figure wears a banded headpiece on which a large circular disc is set in the front featuring a meditating Buddha surrounded by a many-layered mandorla. The Bodhisattva wears thick jewelry and a stole over the left shoulder that winds about the arm. Behind the figure is the remnant of a nimbus.