Female attendant
May one see it?
Yes, receiving visitors
On public display.
- Checked
- 9 days ago
- In this state since
- Sep 25, 2026
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the sculpture
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.
The 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.
Read on
The 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.
The 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.
Victoria and Albert Museum
Particulars
- Accession number
- IS.318-1951
What it shows
In the catalog
Sources
- Victoria and Albert Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 9 days ago
- Image: Victoria and Albert Museum — © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
