Ancient Gandhara region

Beyond Gandhara, discover our selection of antique Buddha statues in wood, stone and bronze from Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and the Himalayan regions, as well as our selection of antique Bodhisattvas, all from the same collection

The Art of Gandhara: The Cradle of Greco-Buddhist Art
Discover a selection of sculptures from the ancient region of Gandhara, a historic territory located between present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan. Emerging during the first centuries AD, this fascinating artistic tradition represents the finest expression of Greco-Buddhist syncretism. It is the direct result of the encounter between Hellenistic aesthetics, introduced through the conquests of Alexander the Great and perpetuated by the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms, and the Buddhist spirituality of Central Asia.

Under the rule of the Kushan Empire, the region became a major crossroads along the Silk Road. Important cities and renowned artistic centres such as Peshawar and the monastic complexes of Taxila flourished. It was within this vibrant cultural environment that Mahayana Buddhism reached its full development. This religious tradition encouraged a new form of devotion, expressed through the first human representations of the divine.

Our Buddha statues and heads, Bodhisattvas, attendants and donor figures, whether carved in schist or modelled in stucco, bear witness to this extraordinary cultural dialogue. The serene, meditative expressions of the faces harmoniously blend with realistic drapery and sculptural forms inherited from Classical Antiquity.

Several of these sculptures are illustrated with previously unpublished archival photographs, making it possible to identify the works within the Claude de Marteau Collection several decades before they reappeared on the art market. This documentation provides exceptional provenance for these Gandhara sculptures.

Many of the pieces featured in our catalogue are also illustrated with period archive photographs from the personal documents discovered in the collector’s estate. This prestigious provenance offers collectors an exceptional level of traceability and a documented collecting history (pedigree), a rarity on the Asian art market.

Beyond Gandhara, discover our selection of antique Buddha statues in wood, stone and bronze from Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and the Himalayan regions, as well as our selection of antique Bodhisattvas, all from the same collection.