Torso of a Bodhisattva 350 - 550

This fragmented sculpture, created by the Sahri-Bahlol Workshop between 350 and 550 CE, depicts the torso of a Bodhisattva, a being who has achieved enlightenment but chooses to delay their own nirvana to help others. The sculpture, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a striking example of Gandharan art, a blend of Buddhist iconography and Hellenistic artistic traditions. The detailed carving of the figure’s drapery and the anatomical realism of the torso highlight the influence of Greek sculpture, while the presence of the Bodhisattva’s ornaments speaks to the Buddhist themes of spiritual attainment and compassion.