Out of the two given Buddha sculptures under analysis, the first one was crafted between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE. Judging by the outlook of the figure and the elements it incorporates, one might assume that it was likely produced in Mathura. Neither the details nor the materials match the ones characteristic of Gandhara or Sarnath styles, but they distinctly match the Mathura one. It also resembles the Sitting Buddha with Attendants from Ahicchattra produced in the 2nd century CE. The scenes and details are similar: both feature Buddha sitting on a pedestal with two figures standing behind him. The clothes and hair of the two sculptures are closely similar, and the material in both cases seems to be reddish sandstone.
Unlike the masters in Gandhara and Sarnath, Mathura’s craftsmen made Buddha figurines out of reddish sandstone, much like in the picture. In contrast, the Gandhara sculptures were usually made of grey sandstone, whereas the ones found in Sarnath are in the buff one. Naturally, there were cases in which masters used different materials such as terracotta, which could give a sculpture made in Gandhara a reddish color, but it was not typical. Another hint that suggests the Mathura origins is the style of decoration. The sculpture’s hair is a plain one-piece, while the statues found in Gandhara show smooth, realistic texture, and the Sarnath ones commonly have pronounced curls. Since it is established, the figurine comes from Mathura; it was likely made between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE because, during that time, the masters in that art center were the most prolific. Another reason to support this claim is the amount and type of detail in the first sculpture. They are simpler than the intricate late Mathura sculptures; for instance, the draperies on the clothes are so few and unpronounced that Buddha appears almost naked.
By contrast, the second Buddha figure is almost the polar opposite of the first statue. It depicts a different scenario in which Budda is simply peacefully standing alone rather than sitting on a decorated pedestal in a religiously charged scene. Moreover, the material and the details are distinct from the ones belonging to the other figure. They indicate a Sarnath production of circa the 5th century CE. The figure resembles the First Sermon in Chunarsandstone from Sarnath circa 475.
Both the First Sermon and the analyzed figure are made from a similar-looking material; the only difference is that the First Sermon appears to be polished, while the other one does not. Both Buddhas have the hard, round, well-defined curls representative of the sculpture hairstyles in Sarnath. Unlike Mathura or Gandhara statues, both figures have closed eyes, per the spiritual and introspective perspective of Sarnath’s masters. Notably, the clothes are worn by the First Sermon Buddha and the second analyzed statue is smooth and almost has no drapes, which is most pronounced in the Sarnath artworks. They are even less defined than in the Mathura statues, whereas the Gandhara craftsmen either heavily decorated Buddha’s clothes or at least carved made the drapes realistic and pronounced. Therefore, the material and the details of the statue clearly show the place of origin as Sarnath. Comparing the figure with the other ones produced in the region gives one an approximate date of the 5th century CE.