Art and Culture 1.6 Post Mauryan Art(Rock-cut caves & Stupas Sculpture- Gandhara Mathura & Amaravati School BY CIVIL JOINT
Post Mauryan Art After the decline of the Mauryan Empire in 2 nd century BC, small dynasties sprang up. North India: Shungas, kanvas, Kushanas and Shakas Southern and Western India: satvahanaa, ikshavakus, Abhiras and Vakatakas. Emergence on new Brahmanical sects: Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Shaktites. Rock-cut caves and Stupas continued New schools of sculpture emerged and the art of sculpture reached its climax in the post-mauryan period.
Architecture Rock-cut caves: Caves has open courtyards and decorated with human and animal figures. Development of two types of rock caves- Chaitya and Vihar. Vihars Residential halls Buddhist and Jain monks Developed during the time of the Mauryan Empire Chaityas Prayer halls Mainly quadrangular chambers with flat roofs Developed during this time Note: Ajanta caves and Ellora caes are World Heritage sites of UNESCO Karle Chaitya, Ajanta caves Vihar at Ellora caves
Stupas: Became larger and more decorative Stone was increasingly used in place of wood and brick Torans as beautifully decorated gateways: idea introduces by Shungas Torans had Hellenistic influence Note: Hellenistic art is the art of the period in classical antiquity generally taken to begin with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and end with the conquest of the Greek world by the Romans. Hellenistic influence on Indian art reflects the artistic influence of the Greeks on Indian art following the conquests of Alexander the Great, from the end of the 4th century BCE to the first centuries of our era. Example: Bharhut Stupa in U.P, the toran at Sanchi Stupa
Sculpture Three Schools of sculpture developed: Gandhra School, Mathura School, Amaravati School. Gandhara School or Indo-Greek art (Hellenistic influence) Developed near modern day of Peshawar and Afghanistan Also known as Greco-Indian School of Art because of the influence of Greek and Roman Flourished in two stages in the period from 50 BC to 500 AD 1st phase known for its use of bluish-grey sandstone 2 nd phase used mud and stucco (plaster) Images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas were based on the Greco-Roman pantheon(all the god of a religion) and resembled that of Apollo. Patronised by kushana rulers
The most characteristic trait of Gandhara sculpture is the depiction of Lord Buddha in the standing or seated positions. Tendency to mould human body in a realistic manner with great attention to physical details. Representation of thick drapery with large and bold fold lines. Rich carving, elaborate ornamentation & complex symbolism. Buddha eyes are half-closed as in meditation and protuberance in shown on the head. Halo around the head. Protuberance
Mathura School Indigenously developed and not influenced by external cultures Flourished in the bank of river Yamuna, around Mathura, Sonkh and Kankalitila(famous for jain sculptures) Between 1 st -3 rd A.D Influenced by all three relegions- Buddhism Hinduism and Jainism. Images were modeled on the earlier Yaksha images found during the Mauryan period. Used spotted red sandstone Patronised by Kushana rulers Buddha s first image can be traced to Kanishka s reign (about 78 A.D.). Striking use of symbolism in the images (Shiva is shown through linga and mukhalinga) Mukhalinga
It not only produced beautiful images of the Buddha but also of the Jain Tirthankaras and gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. Buddha s features: Halo around the Buddha head with geometrical pattern (larger than Ghandara school) Buddha is shown to be surrounded by two Bodhisattavas- Padmapani holding a lotus and Vajrapani holding a thunderbolt. The seated figures are in the padmasana posture. Buddha is shown in delighted mood with a smiling face. Body is muscular, wearing tight dress. Do not have moustaches and beards as in the Gandhara Art. Protuberance is shown on the head.
Amaravati School Indigenously developed and not influenced by external cultures In the southern part of India, on the bank of Krishna river (krishna- Godavari lower valley), around Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda (Andhra Pradesh) Patronised by Satvahana rulers Mainly Buddhist influence Used white marbles
Other two school focused on the use of single images, Amaravati school put more emphasis on the use of dynamic images or narrative art (generally depicts life stories of Buddha and Jataka tales, i.e., previous life of Buddha in both human and animal form. Excessive use of Tribhanga posture in sculptures. Tribhanga: literally meaning three parts break, consists of three bends in the body; at the neck, waist and knee, hence the body is oppositely curved at waist and neck which gives it a gentle "S" shape and is considered the most graceful and sensual of the Odissi positions.
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