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Example research essay topic: Two Periods Of Buddhist Art In India - 1,506 words

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... 40) has earned the title of the golden age of India as it was a period of great military strength, wealth and prosperity, and a period where the arts and sciences flourished. Historical background of a dynasty is always important in discussing art, however the historical background of the Gupta period will not be discussed in detail because it is not directly related to the thesis. My discussion of Gupta art deals mainly with the latter developments of the 5 th and 6 th centuries. However, it is important to note that the sculptural style of the Gupta period is not an isolated development, and was indeed influenced by the prior sculpture schools of Mathura and Gandhara. Nevertheless, the Buddhist sculptures of Gupta period are aesthetically finer and more sensitive creation then that of the Gandharan Buddhas. The Gupta sculptor converted basic elements of the Gandhara Buddha into a more refined vision.

The Romanized countenance of the art of Gandhara was subtly transformed and given a purity of form and expression all its own, by the Gupta sculptor (Khandalavala 6). The divine image now combines a disciplined body with a conquered mind. Although Gupta kings were traditionally devotees of Hinduism (particularly to the gods Visit and Siva), they respected Buddhism, giving Buddhist religious and artistic communities unrestricted support. It is important to note that the iconographic al system formed in this period became the basis for artistic expression in India for centuries. However, it is also important to note that it is often agreed that, these were the last great days of Indian Buddhist Art as Hinduism displaced Buddhism in India, the future of the art, like that of the faith, moved eastward (Sherman 103). In other words, the Gupta period was the beginning of the decline for Buddhist artistic representation in India.

Nevertheless, it did indeed leave its mark. After all, the Gupta period is considered as the period of systematization of iconography. Iconic forms of the divinities of all three religious systems became more rigidly determined and codified during the Gupta Period (Pal 213). In other words, the portrayal of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas gestures and postures became more elaborated and stylized. These iconographic elements later influenced and can be widely seen in Eastern Buddhist Art. This influence is one of the reasons why the Gupta sculptural style is often referred to as the classical style of Buddhist art.

Buddhist statues of the Gupta Period exhibit sculptures that are meditative and serene, a body that is subtly modeled and a face that exhibits enlightenment. Rather than concentrating on how a Bodhisattva is dressed as in Gandhara, they are more concerned with the aesthetic effect of the sculpture. Thus, we see soft folds of the dress, the exquisite bending of the hands and the half-closed eyes of the Buddha. The drapery of the figures are transparent and clung to the body as if wet. The Preaching Buddha of Sarnath is generally regarded as the quintessence of the Gupta aesthetic and a masterpiece of Indian art (Khandalavala 44). Although, I have been unable to see this sculpture in person, I was able to examine and evaluate a full page color illustration in the book The Golden Age by Karl Khandalavala (40).

As one examines this sculpture, it is obvious that this sculpture is focusing on the meditative and serene qualities of the Buddha. The intent is to focus us on the meaning of the faith instead of concentrating on the person of the Buddha. His form is highly abstracted, extraneous details are eliminated and our attention is drawn to the focused gaze and to the hands, areas surrounded by smooth unadorned surface (Fisher 55 - 56). On a side note, the downcast eyes, so important for the concept of the image, may well derive from Gandharan art (Far Eastern Art 104). This image is supposed to depict the story of how after remaining in contemplation for some weeks, the Buddha traveled to Sarnath, near modern Varanasi, where he preached the first sermon to his five companions in the Deer Park. In Buddhist terminology he set the wheel of the doctrine (dharma) in motion, in art the wheel symbolize both the first sermon and the doctrine of dharma.

Buddha is seated as a yogic ascetic, displaying the soles of his feet, and his hands in the dharmacakara mudra the turning of the Wheel of Law. This became one of the most common indicators of the historical event at Sarnath, as well as a symbol for Buddhist teachings in general. Behind his head and centered on the urna the tuft between his eyes, is the halo, the sun wheel, indicating the universal nature of the deity. This sculpture obviously goes beyond just representing this event, and more to the ideals of Mahayana Buddhism. Unlike the Gandharan Bodhisattva, this image is stripped of all the jewelry and other non-essential artifacts. Rather, this sculpture is more concerned with portraying an image that is removed from this world.

The robe of the Gandharan Bodhisattva was large and volume with the pleats of the robe curling over the chest in waves. The Preaching Buddhas robe is much more transparent with loose drapery eloquently ending on his sides. The torso is also different in that the Guptas sculpture has a more triangular shape torso. The figure incorporates sandstone. This may partly be due to the notion that the material sandstone helps deliver a more smooth look.

The grain of sandstone is barely discernible but enough to make its smoothness more sensuous that of a material without a grain (Penny 111). Other noticeable characteristics of this sculpture is that the Buddha is seated in a yogi ascetic pose. We see many common symbols in this image such as the lotus flower. The throne is decorated with lions, called leogryphs, which indicated a throne of royalty. Such images highlight the emphasis on a royal celestial Buddha, which is heavily influenced by Mahayana beliefs. The halo is decorated with borders of symbols, such as lotuses, and often give reminders of symbols associated with yakshas.

The hands are sculpted more elegantly, the chest and shoulders are narrower, and the face has a softer outline than the Gandharan image. All in all the image is more silent in its delivery. The viewer of the sculpture is asked to think about the meaning of the religion rather than focusing on the clothing and accessories of the sculpture. They are asked to grasp the meditative and celestial ideals of the Buddha and understand his doctrine. In summary, the culture of the Gupta empire influenced sculpture in that its Mahayana culture demanded more aesthetic value in the artin which one can understand the meaning of the faith, rather than the figure of the Buddha.

The Kushan and Gupta periods of Indian art are two of the most important eras of Buddhist sculpture in India. To analyze the Kushan period I focused on the Gandharan Bodhisattva in the Art Institute. The two major regions of the Kushan dynasty, Mathura and Gandhara, were less than 500 miles apart, nevertheless, they developed two distinct styles of art. The Gandhara region was more Hellenistic in style due to the Greco-Roman influences on this region.

As we progress in time, we come to the Gupta period which was indeed influenced by the styles of the prior periods. However, by the 5 th century AD, it becomes obvious that the culture of this period was more concerned with aesthetic value as illustrated by the meditative and silent sculpture of the Preaching Buddha from Sarnath. By analyzing these two works and the periods in which they were developed we can see that the style of one of the sculptures was influenced by the region in which it developed, while the other was more heavily influenced by the aesthetic preferences of the time. In conclusion, the Gandharan Bodhisattva illustrated how regional location and ideals influenced the style of sculpture, and the Preaching Buddha illustrated how aesthetic preferences and rising cultural tastes influenced the style of sculpture in the Gupta period.

This analysis is important in that it shows how the Buddhist sculpture in India reflects the ideals and the sophisticated aesthetics of the varied regions and periods in which it flourished. Bibliography: Works Cited Page Fisher, Robert E. Buddhist Art and Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson LTD, 1993. Huntington, Susan. The Art of Ancient India.

New York: Weather Hill: 1985. Khandalavala, Karl. The Golden Age: Gupta Art-Empire, Province, and Influence. Bombay: Marg Publications, 1991.

Nehru, Lolita. Origins of the Gandharan Style. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989 Pal, Pratapaditaya. A Collecting Odyssey: Indian, Himalayan, and Southeast Asian Art.

New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997. Pal, Pratapaditaya. Indian Sculpture: Volume I. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1986. Penny, Nicholas. The Materials of Sculpture.

New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993. Sherman, Lee. A History of Far Eastern Art Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall, 1982. Williams, Joanna G. The Art of Gupta: Empire and Province. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1982.


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