South/southeast Asia, Japan, Korean, and Chinese art

Buddha at Bamiyan (Date)

400 - 800 CE

Buddha at Bamiyan (Medium)

Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint

Buddha at Bamiyan (Location)

Bamiyan, Afghanistan

Buddha at Bamiyan (Artist/Culture)

Gandharan

Buddha at Bamiyan (Religion)

Buddhism

Buddha at Bamiyan (Form)

• Main bodies carved from sandstone cliff (in situ/living rock)

• Decorated with gold and fine jewels (usually as offerings)

• Asian influence on body, facial features, and size with a Greek influence on drapery

Buddha at Bamiyan (Content)

• Larger Buddha embodies wisdom; masculine form

• Small Buddha is female representation of Buddha

• Cave galleries contain wall paintings and images of Buddha

Buddha at Bamiyan (Function)

Pilgrimage site for traders on Silk Road

Buddha at Bamiyan (Context)

• Bamiyan was a caravanserai where many traders would stop to rest

• Mahayanna Buddhism at spread from China westward

Jowo Rinpoche (Date)

641 CE

Jowo Rinpoche (Medium)

Gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, and paint with various offerings

Jowo Rinpoche (Location)

Jokhang Temple, Lhasa, Tibet

Jowo Rinpoche (Artist/Culture)

Yarlung Dynasty

Jowo Rinpoche (Religion)

Buddhism

Jowo Rinpoche (Form)

• Sculpture changes from Nirmanakaya (simple/unadorned) to Sambhogakaya (adorned) due to offerings made

• Dark interior with many hallways

• Figure gilded with gold

Jowo Rinpoche (Content)

• Depiction of Buddha at the age of 12

• Face is focused and patient

• Meditative pose: Lotus position; signifies enlightenment

Jowo Rinpoche (Function)

Important pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists

Jowo Rinpoche (Context)

• King Gampo unifies Tibet and imposes Buddhism

• Jowo Rinpoche, brought by Queen Wencheng, got stuck in mud along the way to Tibet

• Led to building temple where the Jowo Rinpoche became stuck

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Date)

300 BC - 100 CE

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Medium)

Stone masonry, sandstone on dome

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Location)

Madhya Pradesh, India

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Artist/Culture)

Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Religion)

Buddhism

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Form)

Stupa: dirt mound-shaped shrine faced with stone

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Content)

Symbolizes Buddha in meditation

• Base = crossed legs

• Middle = body

• Small box = head

• Top of Mound = royal crown

North Gate (Sub image content)

• Gates represent roads leading to wheel (temple)

• Decorated with symbols of Buddhism (footrprints, wheel, elephants)

• Covered with carvings of Buddha’s life

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Function)

• Created as reliquaries (held remains of teacher)

• Acted as axis-mundi

• Religious propaganda by Ashoka to demonstrate devotion to Buddhism and spread it throughout his empire

Great Stupa at Sanchi (Context)

• Some stupas predated Buddhism (often were Hindu)

• Stupas after Buddhism contained Buddha’s ashes

Borobudur Temple (Date)

750 - 842 CE

Borobudur Temple (Medium)

Volcanic stone masonry

Borobudur Temple (Location)

Central Java, Indonesia

Borobudur Temple (Artist/Culture)

Sailendra Dynasty

Borobudur Temple (Religion)

Buddhism

Borobudur Temple (Form)

• Open-air passageways around central axis-mundi

• Bent corridor axis

• Continuous carved reliefs with sculptures in the round spiral around passageways

Borobudur Temple (Content)

• Symbolizes diagram of cosmos used in meditation (mandala)

• Lower level: Human greed

• Middle level: World where people control impulses

• Top level: Nirvana

Temple’s top (Sub image content)

• Upper terrace with central stupa

• Displays enlightenment > luxury

Borobudur Temple (Function)

Uses continuous narratives of Buddha to demonstrate how to reach enlightenment

Borobudur Temple (Context)

Saildendra dynasty in a cultural Renaissance during a time Buddhism is emphasized

Angkor Wat (Date)

800 - 1400 CE

Angkor Wat (Medium)

Stone masonry, sandstone

Angkor Wat (Location)

Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Angkor Wat (Artist/Culture)

Angkor Dynasty

Angkor Wat (Religion)

Hinduism and Buddhism

Angkor Wat (Form)

• Ashlar masonry used to fit stones together

• Decorated with many carvings

• Central shrine in middle of plan

Angkor Wat (Content)

• Temples resemble houses of gods and contain various images of Vishnu and Shiva

• Moats resemble cosmic ocean

• Together, temples and moats represent plan of universe

• Ground plan represents constellation Draco

South Gate (Sub image)

• Sculpture in the round and high relief

• Carvings of 108 deities (54 gods, 54 demons)

Churning of Ocean Milk (Sub Image)

• Gods and demons fight over elixir of life

• Gods and demons work together by tugging on serpent and churning the ocean to release elixir

• Gods retrieve elixir and win

Jayavarman VII as Buddha (Sub Image)

• Depicts Jayavarman as Buddha himself

• Acted as political propaganda to promote himself as ruler

Angkor Wat (Function)

• Dedicated to Vishnu (protector)

• Connected heavens and earth (axis-mundi)

• Khmer kings would build temples to display divinity

Angkor Wat (Context)

• Angkor Wat built in early 12th century as a Hindu temple that worshiped Vishnu

• Later changed to worship Buddha in late 12th century

Lakshmana Temple (Date)

930 - 950 CE

Lakshmana Temple (Medium)

Sandstone

Lakshmana Temple (Location)

Khajuraho, India

Lakshmana Temple (Artist/Culture)

Chandella Dynasty

Lakshmana Temple (Religion)

Hinduism

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Date)

11th Century

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Medium)

Cast bronze

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Location)

Tamil Nadu, India

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Artist/Culture)

Chola Dynasty

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Religion)

Hinduism

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Form)

• Circle of flames highlights importance of Shiva

• Heavily stylized

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Content)

• Circle of fire represents cycle of destruction and creation

• Upper right hand: Holds drum continuing passage of time

• Lower right hand: Palm facing viewer; no need to be fearful

• Upper left hand: Holds flame of destruction

• Lower left hand: Signifies spiritual fulfillment through meditation

• Tranquil face = control among destruction leads to peace and fulfillment

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Function)

Cult statue dedicated to Shiva that was used in prayers and given offerings

Shiva as Lord of Dance (Context)

Shiva is destroyer God in Hinduism; seen as benevolent and fearsome

Terracotta Warriors (Date)

221 - 209 BC

Terracotta Warriors (Medium)

Painted terracotta

Terracotta Warriors (Location)

Mausoleum of the first Qin emperor of China

Terracotta Warriors (Artist/Culture)

Chinese (Qin Dynasty)

Terracotta Warriors (Form)

Highly individualized painted clay soldiers

Terracotta Warriors (Content)

Many terracotta warriors, chariots and weapons indicate emperor wanted to take court with him to afterlife

Terracotta Warriors (Function)

Grand mausoleum in order to display status of Shi Huangdi

Terracotta Warriors (Context)

Shi Huangdi unifies states under power of Qin Dynasty

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Date)

180 BC

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Medium)

Painted silk

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Artist/Culture)

Chinese (Han Dynasty)

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Form)

• Painted silk = expensive work of art

• Early example of naturalistic scenes in Chinese art

• 2D art with stylized figures

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Content)

• Center balances left (yin) and right (yang)

• Three registers

  • Top - Heavens

  • Middle - Earth

  • Bottom - Underworld

• Show’s Lady Dai’s journey to heaven

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Function)

Used to attract spirit of deceased to start Lady Dai’s trip to afterlife while also demonstrating her status

Funeral Banner of Lady Dai (Context)

Lady Dai was part of elite class of Han Dynasty, therefore able to afford such funeral ceremonies

Longmen Caves (Date)

493 - 1127 CE

Longmen Caves (Medium)

Limestone

Longmen Caves

Luoyang, China

Longmen Caves (Artist/Culture)

Chinese (Tang Dynasty)

Longmen Caves (Form)

• In situ on living rock

• Carved monumental figures of Buddha and bodhisattvas display softer facial expressions

• Carved monumental figures of Vajrapani and Lokapala exhibit more forceful poses

Longmen Caves (Content)

• Fengxian cave consists of 2 Vajrapani, 2 Lokapala, 2 Bodhisattva, 2 disciples, and Vairocana Buddha

• Vajrapani = Chinese guardians of Buddha

• Lokapala = Heavenly kings who watch over cardinal direction

Longmen Caves (Function)

Display the strength and spirituality of the Tang Dynasty

Longmen Caves (Context)

Tang Dynasty considered the age of Buddhism in China

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Date)

1000 CE

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Medium)

Ink and colors on silk

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Artist/Culture)

Fan Kuan (Song Dynasty)

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Form)

• Scenery emphasizes height

• Negative space gives illusion of depth

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Content)

• Examples of yin/yang

  • Empty space vs full space

  • mountains and sky

  • water and sunlight

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Function)

Display values of yin/yang while also display status

Travelers among Mountains and Streams (Context)

• Landscapes highly prized by China

• Many fled to mountains during Five kingdoms period

The David Vases (Date)

1351 CE

The David Vases (Medium)

White porcelain with cobalt blue underglaze

The David Vases (Artist/Culture)

Chinese (Yuan Dynasty)

The David Vases (Form)

Porcelain allows decoration to be more durable (design applied before glaze)

The David Vases (Content)

• Floral motifs, inscriptions, and phoenix on neck

• Body represents a dragon

• Base consists of vine and floral motifs

The David Vases (Function)

• Intended to be altar vases for offerings in a Daoist temple

• Commissioned by Zheng Wenjin in order to protect his family and appease angered gods