VIS 21B Indian Art

Title: High Priest (Bearded Man)

Site: Mohenjo-Daro, Indus Valley Civilization (Pakistan); 2300-1750 BCE

Material: Limestone

Unique facial features: long, downcast eyes, high nose, mouth with thick lips, big head, straight beard, jewel on head cloak

Formal (official) style; highly stylized

Title: Nude Male Torso

Site: Harappa, Indus Valley Civilization; 2300-1750 BCE

Material: Red sandstone

Full, rounded belly indicating health

Smooth transition on shoulder; unknown why circular marks on shoulders were made; head created separately and assembled

Organic style (more natural transitions between body parts)

Title: Yogin Seal

Site: Mohenjo-Daro, Indus Valley Civilization; 2300-1750 BCE

Material: White steatite

Function: assumed by modern scholars to have been used as both form of identification and currency

Carved with animal drawings + lost script language. Organic style.

yogi or shaman depiction possibly an early influence for later images of goddess Shiva

Title: Lion Capital

Site: Sarnath, Maurya Period

(ca. 274-237 BCE)

Material: Polished Chunar sandstone

Smooth shiny surface. Stylized mane of lion from Persian influence; rest of capital more organic style.

Aniconic period (no visual representation of Buddha)

Lion linked to royal family (Shaka clan) associated to Buddha & his teachings. Dharma chakra wheel of law represents Buddha's teachings of the path to Nirvana/Enlightenment.

Title: Chauri Bearer

Site: Didarganj near Patna, Maurya Period (ca. 3rd Century BCE)

Material: Polished sandstone

More naturalistic, decorative ornaments. Smooth shining surface. Life-sized free standing sculpture

Narrow hips, wide waist. Typical depiction of female in Indian art - suggests fertility.

Wide open eyes, thick lips, chubby face representing wealth and health

Title: Chaitya Hall w/ Stupa

Site: Bhaja, Late Shunga Period (ca. 1st Century BCE)

Stupa - dome that stores relics,

Cave, function for worshipping Buddha

Vihara - space for monks to live

Title: Dream of Queen Maya

Site: Bharhut Railing c. 100-80 BC

Material: red sandstone

typical depiction of fertile woman

stone "medallion" depicts story of the conception of the Shakyamuni Buddha

Title: The Great Stupa at Sanchi

Site: Sanchi, Shunga and early Andhra Period (3rd Century BCE to 1st Century CE)

Older stone structure in India.

Chattra - umbrellas protect Buddhist universe

yasti - central axis of Buddhist universe

harmika- rectangular region above the main dome

anda - main round area

Title: Torana (Gate) and Bracket figure (Yakshi)

Site: The Great Stupa at Sanchi (1st Century CE)

Material: Stone

Goddess of nature/trees. Also related to prosperity.

Heavy decorative ornaments on the waist and neck + earrings + headdress + palms (very detailed depiction, realistic representation)

Full belly - healthy, symbol of wealth

Realistic depiction of human body, stylized depiction of tree trunks and leaves.

typical Yakshi pose: One leg holding entire weight of body, other leg bent. One arm reaches upward to tree branch, other arm holding tree trunk

Torana (entrance gate) surrounds the Stupa.

Three horizontal connections of the two main columns called architraves depicted life of the Buddha or jatakas

Understand Buddhist teachings without being able to read (images + carvings). Educations for pilgrims coming to holy sites (and uneducated)

Title: Great Chaitya Hall

Site: Karle, Shunga + Andhra Period (2nd Century)

Material: Cut from living stone

Highly similar design of hall with stupa at end of long hall lined with columns

increased decorative carvings compared to Chaitya hall in Bhaja

Title: Mithuna Couples (Yaksha and Yakshi)

Site: on the facade of the Great Chaitya Hall, Karle, Shunga + Andhra Period (2nd Century)

Material: stone relief

Similar resemblance to Yaksha (male, stiff) and Yakshi (female, weight supported on right leg, relaxed left leg) image

Before Yaksha and Yakshi would always be separated, now always represented together to help the Buddhist universe

Title: Portrait of Kanishka I

Site: Mathura region, Kushan Period (c. 120 CE)

Material: Red Sandstone

abstract, geometric style very different from rest of Indian art

influences Mathuran style Buddhist art of the Kushan period

Kushan dynasty established by eastern Iranian people

Title: Seated Buddha with Attendants

Site: Mathura region, Kushan Period (2nd Cent.)

Material: Red sandstone

Elongated ear, yogi posture (one leg crossed, standard posture for all Buddha images). Robe on one shoulder, Ushnisha hair style + mudra hand gesture

Accompanied by Boddhisatva, help Buddha to preach Buddhism religion. Bodhisattva images always smaller than Buddha image because of hierarchical order in the Buddhist universe.

Apsara - serve as entertainers in the Buddhist world

Vajra - power

Lotus flower - compassion

MUDRA ABHAYA (fear not)

Wide open eyes, thick nose, thick lips, childish face. Characteristic facial features closely resembles that of previous dynasties. Smiling mouth facial expression (new in the Kushan Period)

More organic body, traces back to Indus Valley Civilization

Title: Buddhist Triad

Site: Gandhara region, Kushan Period (ca. 182 CE)

Material: Grey stone (schist)

Maitreya - future Buddha

Avalokiteshvara - compassionate aspect of Buddha

two figures behind observing are Hindu deities Brahma and Indra

Many similarities to Mathura style (ushnisha, long ears, yogi seated posture, hands)

Mudra - Dharma Chakra (Teaching)

tree above and lotus upon which Shakyamuni is seated are intricately carved

Difference in features (more European influenced style - wide chest, broad shoulders, buff arms, thin lips, curved hair). European curved lines of hairs for ushnisha

half-closed eyes reminiscent of downcast eyes of earlier Indian artwork

Title: Standing Bodhisattva

Site: Gandhara region, Kushan Period (2nd Century)

Material: grey stone (schist)

Facial features, masculine body shape, influenced greatly by Greco-Roman style because of conquests of Alexander the Great.

Same iconography, artistic style drastically different

pedestal images remain more uniquely Indian in style

bodhisattva is Maitreya (future) Buddha

Title: Standing Buddha

Site: Mathura, Gupta Period (early 5th Century)

Material: Red sandstone

Gupta Style: Combination of Mathuran and Gandharan style

combines rounded, softer features of Mathuran style with the sharper European-influenced Gandhara style

EXCEPTION: carving of robe much more natural and less stylized in Gandharan style; lines across clothing from Mathuran stylized clothing

Buddhist iconography does not change much from earlier periods

Three wrinkles on the neck (unique to Gupta Style)

halo decorated with geometric patterns

Title: The First Sermon

Site: Sarnath, Gupta Period (c. 475)

Material: Chunar sandstone

Buddha in familiar seated pose, but without Boddhisatva flanking him

Ushnisha hair style, seashell-like pattern on hair

mudra - dharma chakra - preaching Buddhist law

two deer and spectators surround wheel of law in the pedestal

halo of background stone more intricately decorated

Title: The Beautiful Bodhisattva Padmapani

Site: Cave I @ Ajanta, Gupta Period (5th cent.)

Material: fresco painting on cave wall

bodhisattva image representing the compassionate aspect of Buddha

see beginnings of use of shadowing and color to obtain depth in Indian painting

keeps downcast eyes, thick lips, and other facial features characteristic of Indian art

Title: Boar Avatar of Vishnu

Site: Udayagiri Cave 5, Gupta Period (c. 400 CE)

Material: cut from sandstone cave

depicts one of three major Hindu gods, responsible for preservation of universe

saving small figure of river goddess from Naga king, who Vishnu stands atop; Naga king shows respect to Vishnu through hand gesture

boar avatar one of ten or twenty-four avatars associated to Vishnu's different reincarnations, which include Shakyamuni Buddha

Title: Shiva Maheshvara

Site: Elephanta, Gupta Period (7th cent.)

Material: stone relief

three faces of Shiva not typical, but show three aspects of god

front - serene/peaceful; left - angry; right - more feminine, gentle

Shiva Maheshvara -> Shiva as Great Lord

Title: Shiva and Parvati on Mt. Kailasha

Site: Kailasantha Temple @ Ellora, Gupta Period (8th cent.)

Material: stone relief

@ most important temple to Shiva in Hindu religion b/c located at Mt. Kailasa, the home of Shiva

carving shows Shiva casually defeating powerful king Ravanda while reclining with his wife Parvati

Ravanda's power shown through multiple heads and arms typically used for powerful deities

Title: Parashurameshvara Temple

Site: Orissa (Northern India), Gupta Period (c. 700 CE)

Theme: temple to Shiva

temple is separated into shikhara (tower) and mandap (porch)

tiered (steps) make up the shikhara

Hindu temples more focused on decorations on outside of building, worship typically takes place outside

Title: Brihadeshvara Temple

Site: Thanjavar (Southern India), Chola Dynasty (11th cent.)

Theme: temple to Vishnu

shikhara and mandap

tremendous feat to get multi-ton capstone to top of temple

temples in southern India typically larger in size than northern counterparts

Title: Allegorical Representation of the Emperor Jahangir seated on the hourglass throne

Period: Mughal Period (Early 17th cent.); school of Jahangir

Material: gold and color on paper

characteristic use of bright colors and precise detailing in Moghul painting

artwork of this period were noticeably smaller in size

Emperor Jahangir, son of Akbar, very involved in production of art