Garland bearers

Garland bearers

Garland bearers on a Roman sarcophagus, found in the vicinity of Rome, 130-150 CE. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Garland and amorini, Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, India, c. 2nd-3rd century CE. Matsuoka Museum of Art

Garland bearers, Amaravati stupa, India. Chennai Government Museum

Garland bearers, Miran, China, 3rd century CE

Garlands bearers, typically in the form of small naked putti holding up a continuous garland very large in relation to their size, formed a popular ornamental design in classical arts, from the Greco-Roman world to India, with ramifications as far as China. In Europe they were revived in the Renaissance, and continued in later periods.