2nd-3rd century AD. Having been born into a noble family and lived a life of opulence and excess, Prince Siddhartha gained enlightenment at Bodhgaya, and then meditated and fasted for forty-nine days; this carved schist figure depicts the Buddha as an emaciated yogic ascetic who demonstrates ultimate control over his body through self-denial; standing nimbate and dressed only in a dhoti, Buddha nevertheless exudes authority and a serene peacefulness; mounted on a custom-made stand. See Jongeward, D. Buddhist Art of Gandhara in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 2018 for discussion. Exhibited at ‘The Buddha Image: Out of Uddiyana’, Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street, New York, 16 September-20 October 2010, extended to 16 November and again to 7 January 2011; accompanied by a copy of the main Tibet House exhibition press release. 41.8 kg, 96cm including stand (37 3/4"). Acquired for the ‘Buckingham Collection’ by the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert; the collection formed from the early 1960s to early 1970s; displayed at the major exhibition ‘The Buddha Image: Out of Uddiyana’, Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street, New York, 16 September-20 October 2010, extended to 16 November and again to 7 January 2011; where the collection of one hundred pieces was publicly valued at US$ 15M; this piece was scheduled to be included in an exhibition entitled ‘On the Silk Route; Birth of The Buddha’, to be held in London from November 2012, but sadly his death prevented this; accompanied by copies of several press releases and articles for the exhibition, including Artnet News, This Week in New York, Huffpost and Buddhist Art News. Accompanied by geologic report No. TL005268 by geologic consultant Dr R. L. Bonewitz. Dr Bonewitz notes: 'No definite source localities have been identified for the stones used by the Gandharan sculptors, but the predominant rock was an alumina-rich chloritoid-paragonite-muscovite-quartz schist, probably from Swat.'