Relief frieze made of schnist

Description:

Pakistan, ancient region of Gandhara, 2nd-3rd cent.
17 x 22 cm
The rectangular frieze is decorated with a deep relief, the central figure of which is Buddha Shakyamuni sitting on a throne in vajrasana, holding his right hand in abhayamudra while his left rests on his lap. He wears a monk's robe, his face shows a serene expression and a halo can be seen behind his head. He is flanked by two standing worshippers, with a pillar to his right.
From the collection of the chemist, engineer and director of Merck & Co. Heinrich Georg Johann Harms (3.9.1906-28.6.1975) and his wife Eva Harms (10.11.1905-13.10.1998), largely collected in Shanghai between 1935 and 1942 - Somewhat chipped, signs of age