Head of the Buddha

Object Details

• Description

  The head is a fragment with break lines at the neck and at the back of the head in a plane parallel to the face. Most striking about the head is its color. A fairly homogenous deep brown color covers the face and hair. More grey tones are seen on the break surfaces. Gilt surfaces are also present; the eye balls are completely covered and traces of gold are also seen on the lips, nose, ears, and cheeks.

• Provenance

  From around 1967

  Mr. Richard Gross Kopf, from around 1967 [1]

  To 1998

  Robert Hatfield Ellsworth (born 1929), New York City, to 1998

  From 1998

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Robert Hatfield Ellsworth in 1998

  Notes:

  [1] Mr. Richard Gross Kopf brought the object into the United States around 1967 (according to Curatorial Note 3, Vidya Dehejia, April 21, 1998, in the object record).

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  South Asian Sculpture (February 22, 2000 to June 18, 2003)

  Beyond the Legacy--Anniversary Acquisitions of the Freer Gallery of Art (October 11, 1998 to April 11, 1999)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Richard Gross Kopf

  Robert Hatfield Ellsworth (1929-2014)

• Origin

  Pakistan or Afghanistan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Sculpture

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  100s, 200s

• Name

  buddha, Ellsworth, Robert Hatfield, Gross Kopf, Richard

• Place

  Afghanistan, Pakistan

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Art, Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection, Stone, Ushnisha

• Culture

  Buddhists, Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Sculpture