Art History: Chapter 5 - Art of South Asia (India), Thailand, & Japan

India

• Himalayan mountains helped protect South Asia from invasions

• Consists of the Indus River Valley, Vedic Period, Maurya Period, and Kushan Period 

Deer (not exact pic but same thing)

Visual

• Paint on limestone 

• Uses pigments of green, white, orange, and black 

• Depicts drawn deers

Iconographic 

• Made in Neolithic Era 

• From the rock shelter Bhimbetka 

• Domestication of animals was common 

Humans & Horses

Visual

• Paint on limestone

• Made with red pigment 

• Depicts people riding horses for hunting & other activities 

Iconographic 

• Made in Neolithic Era

• Earliest man ate horses but then domesticated them for riding 

Seated Mother Goddess

Visual

• Made of terracotta (baked clay)

• Naturalistic & abstract

• Eyes are drilled holes & no neck

• Pendant & necklace between breasts

• Not free-standing (called “seated” due to pose)

Iconographic 

• Made in Neolithic Era

• Different varieties mean there were preferred regional styles

• All were small, never free-standing, and shown in sitting pose

• A symbol of fertility due to voluptuous body

Indus River Valley (2600 - 1900 BC)

Seal Impressions

Visual

• Made of steatite

• Horned bovine (cow) in front of alter 

• Yogi (person doing Hindu yoga)

• Three-headed animals 

• Characters/scripts at the top

• Knob on back to make impressions 

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley

• Characters/scripts are unreadable 

• Pressed onto wet clay to make impressions 

• Yogi gives sacrificial rites to goddesses

• All images relate to religious practices

Detail-Shiva(?) - Indus Seal

Visual

• Three-headed figure facing frontally 

• Large headdress & lots of adornments 

• Seated Yogi pose 

• Surrounding animals are buffalos, rhinos, elephants, tigers, and bovines

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley

• Found in Mohenja, Daro 

• Yogi pose & three-heads points to an early image of Shiva, diety for Hinduism

• Purpose of animals is unknown due to characters/scripts undeciphered

Large Water Tank

Visual

• Made with burnt bricks 

• Filled with rain water

• Had elevated citadel & houses surrounding it

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley

• Found in Mohenja, Daro

• Water tank used for public bathing & ritualistic purposes

• Citadel used for administrative & ceremonial purposes

Reconstruction Drawing

Visual

• Canal & irrigation systems

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley

• Systems channeled away waste & water (advanced for its time)

• No tombs or palace to tell us about their government 

Torso of a “Priest” King 

Visual

• Made of steatite; 6-7 inches tall

• Uses red pigment called madder

• Small forehead, slender eyes, and plump lips

• Holes pierced under ears for headdress

• Left shoulder covering of airakh with trefoil

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley 

• Trefoil depicts cloud motifs 

• Red pigment gone due to old age and oxidation (patina)

Male Torso

Visual

• Made of high intensity red sandstone 

• Naturalistic & idealistic

• No head, just torso and genitals 

• Tiny 

• Lines create a strong vertical

Iconographic 

• Made in Indus River Valley

• Focus on the body, symbolizing sexuality

• Damage due to legs being broken off

• Small enough for personal view 

Vedic Period (2000 - 700 BC)

• Period where literature flourishes 

• Nomads enter and introduce the chariot & Sanskrit language 

• No hierarchial social order

• Religious fire sacrifices called Yajna

• Upanishads: Philosophical scriptures made by Brahmins (priests) that help one eventually achieve liberation 

Jainism

• Made by Mahavira, a religious reformer

• Non-violence is their moral principle 

• Lots of Yakshas (male) & Yakshis (female)

Buddhism 

• Made by Shakyarnuni, the first Buddha 

• Rejected social order

• Embraced solitude/asceticism 

• A way to escape samsara, a cycle of reincarnation, to achieve peace/nirvana

• Were multiple buddhists 

Hinduism

• Blended indigenous beliefs with Vedic stories 

• Lots of Yakshas (male) & Yakshis (female)

Maurya Period/Dynasty (700 - 185 BC)

• Consisted of Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc.

• Embraced Buddhism & dharma, the Buddhist deity 

• Buddhist 4 Noble Truths: 

1. Life is suffering

2. Suffering is cravings/desires fueling the cycle of rebirth

3. Desire must be overcome to end suffering

4. No more suffering leads to enlightenment 

• Ashoka (King) ruled for 47 years & is known for pillars 

Ashokan Pillars

Visual

• 19 pillars 40 ft tall made of sandstone

• Some with inscriptions written in Prakrit, a language related to Sanskrit, Greek, etc.

• Foundations 10 ft sunken

Iconographic 

• Made in Maurya Period/Dynasty

• Made for King Ashoka

• Made due to conversion to Buddhism after war 

• Symbolizes Ashoka’s change to peace 

Didargan, Yakshi

Visual

• Made of polished stone 

• 5 ft tall (life-sized)

• Voluptuous & half-nude

• Has lots of adornments and a fly wisk in hand 

Iconographic 

• Made in Maurya Period/Dynasty

• Polished look was popular in Maurya

• Yakshis believed to be animist spirits with widespread nature worship

• Often appears in subordination to the Buddha

• Could be guardian spirits or people that served an individual/community, died, than reborn

• Often depicted next to trees or holding water/flower, symbolizing fertility 

Shang Dynasty & Satavahana Dynasty 

(185 - 72 BC)

• Shang Dynasty ruled in North India

• Satavahana Dynasty ruled in Central & South India 

Great Stupa

Visual

• Made with rubber, dirt, stone, and plaster

• Is sphere-like 

• Has 30-ft high torana gateways

Iconographic 

• Made in Shang/Satavahana Dynasty 

• Small burial mounds for wealthy pastors 

• No entry to get inside 

• Torana’s aligned with the four cardinal directions, leading practitioner to the path of Enlightenment 

East Torana

Visual

• Made of fine sandstone

• Relief decoration with characters in equally high reliefs

• Distance comes from stacking the figures on top of one another 

• Covered in scenes of the first Buddha’s life (Jataka tales)

Iconographic 

• Made in Shang/Satavahana Dynasty

• Buddha left palace as a prince & went into nature t work/meditate at age 40

• Trees are symbols of moving through town to get to the forest

• Some drawings depict Buddha in non-human form (footprints)

• Depictions of gods were rare

Yakshi Bracket Figure

Visual

• Made of sandstone

• Fully nude with thin garment that’s visible due to the hems

• On the toranas

Iconographic 

• Made in Shang/Satavahana Dynasty

• Personifies the elements that give life, like the fruits surrounding it 

• Animism and other beliefs were included into Buddhism 

Kushan Period (1 - 3rd Century AD)

• Northwest India participated in trade along the Silk Road 

• Established capital & learned letters from the Greek Alphabet 

Coin of Kanishka

Visual

• Made of gold

• Naturalistic and abstract

• Ruler in relief wearing a cloth

• Greek letters surrounding him

Iconographic 

• Made in Kushan Period

• Depicts King Kanishka, symbolizing his connection to various gods 

• Cloth similar to Roman Toga and Greek letters show influence from trade in Silk Road

King Kanishka

Visual

• Made of sandstone

• Frontal + life-sized 

• Has club, sword on hilt, and big boots

• Heavy coat is hemmed with inside circles (sewn-in pearls)

Iconographic 

• Made in Kushan Period

• Pearls in coat were imported from the coast & symbolized wealth

Standing Buddha

Visual

• Made of schist

• Naturalistic & idealistic

• Body and protruding belly shown through drapery w/ stylized folds 

Iconographic 

• Made in Kushan Period 

• In Gandhara style, a mix of Greek Persia & India art

• Stylized folds are patterned like the Roman toga, showing outside influence 

• First to depict Buddha in human form 

• Represents promise of salvation, dispelling fear, and granting wishes 

Buddha & Attendants

Visual

• Made of red sandstone

• Naturalistic & idealistic

• Sits in a lotus position making hand movements 

• Has attendants on side and at the bottom in symmetric relief 

Iconographic

•  Made in Kushan Period

• In Matara style, which is Indian art 

• Lotus position symbolizes spiritual awakening 

• Hand movements called mudras 

• Abhaya Mudra: Symbolizes reassurance, protection, and blessing; Meaning “do not fear” 

Thailand

• Consists of the Ban Chiang Culture

• Earliest materials found dates back to 3600 BC

Ban Chiang Culture (2000 BC - 300 AD)

• Neolithic Period 

• In Northeast Thailand (Siam)

• No specific name for people

• No written documentation 

• Archeological site (3500 BC) is a large prehistoric oval earth round that’s been excavated 

• Held different types of pottery, wet rice agriculture, burials w/ economic goods, and bronze

• Had increased economic prosperity due to salt production which was exchanged for other items 

• Ceramics decorated with plants, animals, and rope patterns

• People walked around pots to shape them 

• Unknown why spiral was constantly used 

Jar

Visual

• Made of clay & red pigment

• Swirly design that was hand-painted

• Round bottom

• Curvilinear lines to make your eyes move

Iconographic 

• Made in Ban Chiang Culture (late period)

• Used for cooking, storage, etc.

• Earlier jars were shattered and put in graves

• Later jars, like this one, were buried without being shattered

Bracelet with Four Bells

Visual

• Made of copper alloy

• Usually polished with gold, reddish color

Iconographic 

• Made in Ban Chiang Culture

• Now oxidized into green patina 

• Found in children graves to protect their souls 

Container

Visual

• Made of bronze

• 9 inches tall

• Spiral decoration 

• 3 loops located in upper corner of base

Iconographic 

• Made in Ban Chiang Culture

• Unknown what container held

• Unknown what was hung from the loops

Japan

• Consists of Joman and Yayoi Period 

Joman Period (10500 - 300 BC)

• In Japan/Neolitic period 

• Joman = cord-decorated 

• Late period from 2500-1500 BC

Flare Rimmed Deep Bowl

Visual

• Made of earthenware

• Pot with cord-marks

• Elegant shape and round bottom

• Curvilinear lines & linear shapes

Iconographic 

• Made in Jomon Period

• Entirely created by woman using coil method

• Coil Method: Creates a vessel by rolling clay into coils and stacking them on top of each other 

• Round bottom used to sit in fire or on ground

• Typically mixed with nothing, though some were mixed to make them shiny and durable

• Lines + shapes signify possible interested in beauty

• Wilder styles possibly used for ritualistic purposes

Googly-Eyed Dogu Figure

Visual

• Made of earthenware

• 4-7 inches tall, very small

• Female figure with google eyes, tiny hips, etc 

• Has markings on her

Iconographic 

• Made in Jomon Period

• Markings suggest ritualistic practices 

• Overall associated with fertility 

• An effigy of a person used religiously 

Yayoi Period (300 BC - 300 AD)

• Name of the place period is set in

• Chinese migrates to Japanese islands

• Adopted Jomon practices &. hierarchal order

• Jars were more simplistic in this time

Jar

Visual

• Made of earthenware and clay slip

• Smooth surface and flat bottom

• Symmetrc 

• Mild intensity color

• A clean, functional shape with little decoration 

Iconographic 

• Made in Yayoi Period

• Sturdier construction

• Made by women with coil method 

• Resembles pots from Korea, meaning they probably got this style from there

Dotaku

Visual

• Made of bronze, iron, and stone

• Resembles a bell but isn’t  

• Decorated with patterns of geometric shapes 

• Had clapper inside 

• Shaped in profile view

• 12 pictorial scenes depicting various things like animals, hunting, and house on stilts 

Iconographic 

• Pictures don’t have an overall theme, but seem to just be depictions of daily life

• Walls too thin to hit for ringing

• Buried on hilltops 

• Possibly used for agricultural rituals 

• Most have geometric shapes 

• Most don’t have pictures or clappers 

• Became larger in later period but for purely ornamental use