Bust of a Bodhisattva, possibly Maitreya 2nd-3rd century Pakistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province This handsome bust of a Bodhisattva, datable to the 2nd century AD, was produced as part of the architectural decoration of a major monastery in ancient Gandhara (present-day Peshawar district in northwestern Pakistan). The back of the piece is unfinishedoriginally it would have been attached to a niche or walla feature consistent with the vast majority of Gandharan figural sculptures; very few of which are fully in-the-round.This bodhisattva’s superbly rendered head is adorned with a slender moustache, an auspicious forehead mark (urna) and an Apollo-like hairstyle and topknot with jewel and pearl net ornamentation. The net of pearls with gemstones at the intersections culminates in a gemstone which secures the pearls looping over the topknot. The distinctive 'S' curls on the forehead is a signature motif of the Loriyan Tangai workshop, as are the strong facial features, with the subtle de