Although many works of this type are known, this sculpture is, together with the one currently housed in the Peshawar Museum, the largest known to have survived. Although lacking its original nimbus, the piece is carved in a realist style typical of Gandhara. The right hand, now missing, was most probably raised in the abhayamudra, the gesture that dispels fear in the hearts of the faithful. The left arm is slightly bent and the hand holds the garment in a posture undoubtedly derived from Greco-Roman tradition. With large shoulders and a comparatively small head, this representation of Buddha has an imposing presence, especially when viewed from the front. The side view shows less bulk, another feature which is frequent in Gandhara sculptures. The carving of the hair and the clothing, together with the lack of severity in the facial expression, identify this work as dating from a period slightly after the reign of Kaniska I, which is to say the apogee of the art of Gandhara. Beyond art historical considerations, this remarkable sculpture dominates all those who come into its presence. It is imbued with a spiritual presence which is evident to all those who take the time to look carefully at it. The specifically Buddhist connotations of this sculpture become secondary as compared to its intemporal human significance.