13¹⁄₂ in. (34.3 cm.) high

Spink & Son, London, 29 May 1985.
Private collection, San Francisco, acquired from the above.

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Lot Essay

These columns integrates the more ancient pillar cult, as exemplified by the lion pillars at Mathura during the reign of Ashoka, with the stupa. Lions were a popular subject for capitals in this period because they were associated with heroism and royal authority. Additionally, lions were often used to represent the Buddha, as they are a symbol of the Sakya clan, which the Buddha descended from.