An early bronze Buddhist altarpiece, China, original from 3rd to 6th century CE (under review).

This archaic altar is based on the Greco-Buddhist style of the Gandhara region in Northwest India. They were brought to China by Indian monks teaching Buddhism. The archaic Chinese statues have very solid figures and beatific smiles, not unlike archaic Greek statues. Many of these characteristics continued during the politically divided era of the Six Dynasties (3rd to 6th centuries CE), and into the Tang Dynasty. FLG-GV-43