The well-defined musculature of this powerful torso sets it apart from most sculpted figures in the galleries. The subject is a Buddhist deity called a bodhisattva: a being who has attained spiritual perfection, but foregoes entering nirvana—that is, the bliss of extinction. The bodhisattva chooses to remain on earth, guiding others toward enlightenment. South and Southeast Asian sculpture generally de-emphasizes musculature and clothing. But this sculpture, with its naturalistic modeling and heavy drapery, reflects an awareness of ancient Greek or Roman sculpture. This blend of Western classical influences and Buddhist iconography is a hallmark of art from the ancient kingdom of Gandhara. It encompassed parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Gandhara already had become a crossroads between East and West when Alexander the Great arrived in the 4th century BC. Two centuries later, nomads from the east drove out the Greeks and established the Kushan empire, whose rulers converted to Buddhism. But Gandhara’s cosmopolitan cultural tradition continued. It was located on the principal trade route linking China and the Aegean. Roman senators wore robes made of Indian cotton, exported through Gandhara.