Head of a Male (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
The Kushan-period sculptural production of Gandhara was stylistically very different from that of Mathura. The impassive and idealized countenance of this Gandharan figure contrasts with the warmth and inner vitality of the Mathura faces. Working in stucco,a type of plaster, the sculptor formed the face with molds and then fashioned the hair by hand. This head would then have been attached to a body made of a simple concrete and covered with stucco. The entire image was probably tinted with bright colors.
Kushan period
Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Gift of Paul Mellon
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
