Indian and Asian Art

Karma
Ones past actions that determine the nature of ones future rebirths.

Nirvana (moksha)
A blissful state in Buddhism and Hinduism where one escapes the cycle of birth and death by merging oneself with the vital force of the universe.

Samsara
The belief that individuals are reborn after death in an almost endless cycle of birth and death.

Bodhisattva
An exemplar of compassion who holds back from nirvana to aid others in earning merit and a chance at buddhahood. Mudra Hand gestures of the Buddha with specific meanings.

Shakyamuni
Siddhartha became the historical Buddha, known as Shakyamuni (Wise Man of the Shakya Clan), from the day he preached his first sermon in the Deer Park at Sarnath.

Ushnisha
A cranial bump or knot of hair on top of the head, one of Buddhas lakshanas.

Urna
A curl of hair between the eyebrows, one of Buddhas lakshanas.

Devi
The Hindu Great Goddess who takes many forms and names; she creates and destroys. She is worshipped alone, as a consort of a god, or as Durga, a multiarmed goddess who rides or is accompanied by a lion.

Shiva
Hindu god who takes many aspects; the Destroyer, but also can be a regenerative force, represented in this form as a phallus/cosmic pillar or linga. When appearing in human form in Hindu art, he often has multiple limbs and heads. Also shown as Lord of Beasts; a cosmic dancer; father of the elephant-headed god Ganesh; or trident-carrying rider of the bull Nandi.

Vishnu
Hindu god, Preserver of the universe, rescuer of the earth, restorer of balance. He is often portrayed with four arms that hold various attributes. Sometimes appears as Krishna (the divine lover); the boar Varaha; or as the Buddha.

Indus Civilization Art

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa were two of the earliest major Indus River sites

The cities of Of the surviving Harappa structures and of the Indus Civilization, Mohenjo-daro none have been in the Indus identified as Valley featured Palaces and streets temples oriented to the compass

Great bath Mohenjo-daro Pakistan

2600-1900 B.C.E.

Scholars often compare a steatite sculpture found at Mohenjo-daro to Sumerian sculptures because of similar trefoil motifs.

Robed Male Figure from Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan

ca. 2000-1900 B.C.E. steatite 6 7/8 in. high

The most common Indus Features that indicate the art objects are smalla image may represent objects (seals) prototype of the Hindu god Shiva include; The figure is crowned by a crescent moon, as Shiva is often shown. Shiva is the Lord of Beasts; the figure is surrounded by animals.

Seal from Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan

ca. 2600-1900 B.C.E. steatite approximately 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 in.

There is evidence of cylinder seals Subjects most active trade between the Wereof the most commonly represented peoples the ancient Near East and art the Indus on the intaglio steatite common Valley. seals of Moheno-daro

objects found at the include animals Indus Valley sites

(humped bulls, elephants, rhinos, tigers), tiny narratives, or sacred trees.
Seals from Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan
ca. 2500-1700 B.C.E. steatite each approximately 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 in.

Indian Buddhist Art

Ashoka (r. 272-231 B.C.E.) was the The capital contains four lions (Indian / Asiatic Lions), standing back to back, mounted on an greatest ruler of the Maurya dynasty;
abacus, with a frieze carrying sculptures in high he converted to Buddhism and spread relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull Buddhas through and spoked beyond and a lion, teaching separated by intervening India. chariot-wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished He formed the a legal code based on sandstone, capital was believed to be Buddhas teachings and inscribed it on crowned by a 'Wheel of Dharma' enormous monolithic stone columns, (Dharmachakra popularly known in India as 30 to 40"Ashoka feet high, throughout the kingdom. the Chakra"), which has now been lost. There a similar intact Ashoka pillar in They wereis the first monumental stone Thailand (see photo) with a similar four lion artworks in India. They stood along capital intact and crowned with Ashoka Chakra pilgrimage routes to sites associated / Dharmachakra.

with the Buddha. Stylistically, the capitals were related to the art of the ancient Near East.
Lion capital from column erected by Emperor Ashoka from Sarnath, India
272-231 B.C.E. polished sandstone 8 feet high

This is the famous original sandstone sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum which was originally erected around 250 BCE atop an Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. The angle from which this picture has been taken, has been adopted as the National Emblem of India showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the Ashoka Chakra in the circular base on which the four Indian lions are standing back to back. On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the centre of the National Flag of India

The Great Stupa at Sanchi dates originally to Ashoka's reign.

Great Stupa

Sanchi, India
third century B.C.E. to first century C.E.

Great Stupa

Sanchi, India
third century B.C.E. to first century C.E.

Relics of the Buddha are usually contained in a stupa. The Great Stupa at Sanchi symbolizes the world mountain.

The meaning of the yasti, the pole that rises from the center of the hmarmka above the stupa is the axis of the universe.

Great Stupa

Sanchi, India
third century B.C.E. to first century C.E.

Jatakas

The four gateways, or toranas, are the finest works of art at Wheel Wheel (chakra ) of the law the Sanchi and are among (dharma), as set out by Buddha. It finest examples of Buddhist art is related to the Four Noble Truths: in India. gateways were (1) life The is suffering; (2) The cause of suffering desire; erected c. 35 BCE. Theisscenes (3) One can overcome and carved into the pillars and their extinguish desire; triple are of (4) architraves The way to conquer desire and end suffering is to followlives the of episodes in the various Buddhas Eightfold Path of right the Buddha. understanding, right thought,
right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. The Southern Gateway is the oldest of four surrounding the Great Stupa.

Tales of the past lives of the Buddha.

Two stylistic characteristics of the carving that decorates the toranas of the Great Stupa Low relief is coupled with deep carving that allows the yakshi to stand out as a silhouette. Mostly curvilinear forms (contours of the yakshi and the elephant, spirals, fruit) create sensuousness and movement.

Great Stupa Sanchi, India

first century B.C.E. to first century C.E.

Among the animals and Yakshis other figures on the Scantily clad sensuous women/goddesses, toranas at Sanchi were personifications fertility as female figures of known and vegetation. yakshis

Great Stupa

Sanchi, India
first century B.C.E. to first century C.E.

A chaitya hall A monastic hall carved out of A chaitya would rock; a sacredhall cave with a stupa placed at the end. most likely be found Two stylistic features that distinguish the chaityatemple hall at Karle. cave Pillared ambulatories allow worshippers to walk around the stupa. Symmetrical along the long axis that the worshipper would pass through between the stupa and the entrance.
Chaitya Hall Karle, India
ca. 100 C.E.

in a sculpted Buddhist

Chaitya Hall

Karle, India
ca. 100 C.E.

Three characteristics of Gupta that are Theart caves ofapparent Ajanta inare the paintings at Ajanta; famed for frescoes
The Buddha shows great of Bodhisattvas compassion in his face, his body is sensuous, and there are no sharp angles anywhere in the paintings. The paintings are done in dry fresco and the paints were water soluble. The figures are gently modeled with gradations of color and delicate highlights.
Bodhisattva Padmapani Wall Painting Ajanta, India 450-500 ca. (Picture courtesy Archaeological Survey of India)

The iconography of the One of the earliest Roman culture provided frieze at Gandhara is narrative cycles in artistic models for the Buddhist, but the which the Buddha images ofalso the Seated sculptor used appears in human Buddha and theas frieze from Roman reliefs a form comes from Gandhara stylistic model. Gandhara

Seated Buddha from Gandhara, Pakistan

2nd century C.E. grey schist 3 ft. 7 1/2 in. high

Three stylistic characteristics of the Mathura Buddha Mathura Buddhas are closely linked to portrayals of yakshas, the male equivalents of yakshis: the Buddha is a robust, powerful male with broad shoulders and open, staring eyes. The monks robe is almost transparent, revealing the fleshy body beneath. His hand is in the abhaya gesture, telling worshippers to have no fear.

Enlightenment at Badh Gaya

Queen Maya gives birth to Prince Siddhartha

Life and Death of the Buddha from Gandhara, Pakistan

2nd century C.E. schist 2 ft. 2 3/8 in. high

death at Kushinagara

preaching first sermon at Sarnath

Life and Death of the Buddha from Gandhara, Pakistan

2nd century C.E. schist 2 ft. 2 3/8 in. high

Bamayan Buddhas (destroyed) Bamayan, Afghanistan

3rd century C.E. 150 feet tall

Bamayan Buddhas (destroyed) Bamayan, Afghanistan

3rd century C.E. 150 feet tall

halo of enlightenment ushnisha urna elongated ears mudra chakra

prana

Seated Buddha from Mathura, India

2nd century C.E. red sandstone 27 1/2 in. high

Seated Buddha preaching first sermon from Sarnath, India

5th century C.E. sandstone

Images of Vishnu were particularly important during An avatar is an the pre-Angkorian period of incarnation of a Cambodia. god, the form the god takes on earth. is The Boar Avatar

most closely linked One example; to Vishnu. Varaha, the boar (a

human body with a boars head).

Figure 6-16 Boar avatar of Vishnu rescuing the earth, cave 5, Udayagiri, India, early fifth century. Relief 13 X 22; Vishnu 12 8 high.

A Buddhist stupa: was circumambulated by the faithful. was an architectural structure. often contained relics. was a type of mandala or cosmic diagram.

Interior of cave 19

Ajanta, India
2nd half of 5th century

Indian Hindu Art

Dancing Shiva Badami, India

sixth century C.E. relief in cave temple

Shiva as Mahadeva Cave I, Elephanta, India

ca. 550-575 C.E. Basalt 17 ft. 10 in. high

The primary function of a Hindu temple is the home of the gods on earth and the place where they make themselves visible to humans

Vishnu Temple (looking north), Deogarh, India, early sixth century.

Mandapa
Pillared halls leading to the garbha griha, the womb chamber which houses images of the deity.

Open mandapa at Amritapura

Sikhara
Meaning mountain peak, the beehive-shaped tower of northern Buddhist temples, which are capped by amalakas, ribbed cushionlike forms derived from the shape of the amala fruit.

Sikhara of Murudeshwara Temple

The Raharaheshvara Temple at Thanjavur was dedicated in 1010 to Shiva

Temple Tower of Thanjavur

The significance of the reliefs on the exterior of the Vishnu temple at Khajuraho is that they suggest fertility and the propagation of life and serve as auspicious protectors of the sacred precinct.

Visvanatha Temple

Khajuraho, India
ca. 1000 C.E.

Visvanatha Temple

Khajuraho, India
ca. 1000 C.E.

Visvanatha Temple

Khajuraho, India
ca. 1000 C.E.

Sri Lankan Buddhist Art

Death of the Buddha (Parinirvana) Gal Virhara, Sri Lanka

11th - 12th century C.E.

Javanese Buddhist Art

The is about 400 feet per side and 98 feet tall. Thestupa Buddhist monument of Borobudur has Most scholars thinklife-sized it is a constructedcosmic mountain, a three-dimensional More than 500 Buddha images mandala where worshippers pass through various realms to reach Approximately 1500 stupas enlightenment.

At least 1000 relief panels

Three types of objects that pilgrims would encounter as they climbed it: More than 1000 relief panels.

More than 500 life-size Buddha images.

More than 1500 stupas.

Cosmic Mountain Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

ca. 800 C.E. 400 ft. wide

Khmer (Cambodian) Art

Three stylistic characteristics of the Early Khmer figure of Harihara created The Harihara from in the seventh century;

Prasat Andet, Shiva is on the right side and Vishnu on the left; the division is evident in the headdress. The Cambodia represents Shiva half has the curling locks of an ascetic, half Shiva, half Vishnu while the kingly Vishnu side is more plain.
It is related to Gupta-style Indian sculpture with a soft body. It is carved in the round, unlike almost all Indian sculpture, which is carved in relief. However, the pose is quite frontal.

Figure 6-28 Harihara, from Prasat Andet, Cambodia, early seventh century. Stone, 6 3 high. National Museum, Phnom Penh.

Angkor, Cambodia
12th century C.E.

Two types Angkor in of temples that Cambodia was appear Angkor: built byat Khmer kings and Temples to gods dedicated toor (Vishnu, Shiva, Buddha). themselves as gods, had several Temples to kings that would associate the king enormous as a manifestation reservoirs, andof his personal god. contained both Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples

Angkor Wat Angkor, Cambodia

12th century C.E.

Angkor Wat

Angkor, Cambodia
12th century C.E.

King Suryavarman II holding court Angkor Wat Angkor, Cambodia

12th century C.E.

Angkor Wat Angkor, Cambodia

12th century C.E.

Angkor, Cambodia
12th century C.E.

Images of Vishnu were particularly important during the pre-Angkorian period of Cambodia.

Vishnu lying of the cosmic ocean from Mebon temple, Western Baray Angkor, Cambodia
12th century C.E. 8 feet long

Angkor, Cambodia
12th century C.E.

Towers of the Bayon Angkor Thom, Cambodia

12th to 13th centuries C.E.

Khmer rulers use art to demonstate their power and their connection with their personal god. Artworks would depict both the god and the king in the same temple, linking the two. Rulers were shown in similar poses as gods, with subjects/worshippers in similar roles (smaller and subservient). Jayavarman VII adapted Buddhism so that the Buddha and bodhisattvas were seen as divine prototypes of the king.

Towers of the Bayon Angkor Thom, Cambodia

12th to 13th centuries C.E.