At the heart of the Silk Road, in the rugged lands of present-day Pakistan, one of the most diverse and sophisticated cultures of the early centuries of this millennium developed. Rising to power in the first century, the Kushans would maintain undisputed dominance in the region for two centuries. The Kushan empire was comprised of two distinct geographic areas, Mathura and Gandhara, each with its own discrete artistic style. Gandhara was centered in Purushapura (now Peshwar) and included the area north of the Indus Rive, primarily in present-day Pakistan. Gandharan art was the first in history to portray the Buddha in human form. Until this time only symbolic iconography was used to depict the enlightened one. Over three centuries, Gandhara produced an artistic style that combined the influences of Indian art with traditions from Iran, China, Greece, and Rome. Adhering to the primacy of ideal beauty with a focus on the physical beauty of the human form and interest in realism, the Gandharan sculptors created some of the world's most breathtakingly serene and beautiful sculptures. After the third century, Mathura and Gandharan styles began to merge, and while traces of the Gandharan style remained, Indian elements dominated, obscuring the earlier eclecticism of the Gandharans.

The extraordinary art of the Gandhara remains largely unknown to the general public. Guest Curator Pierre Cambon, Chief Curator of Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, will select seventy to one hundred exquisite works of sculpture produced by this brief but brilliant culture. These will be drawn from private and public collections in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Recent published scholarship on the remarkable innovations of Gandharan art has been scant; the exhibition will thus provide the occasion to gather important new findings on the period.

Tentatively opening in Spring of 2009, The Art of Ancient Gandhara will travel to three venues.

*This is when the tour is expected to begin. The exact date will depend upon the needs of the participating institutions. For more information, contact Kathleen Flynn at 212.988.7700 ext. 212 or kflynn@afaweb.org