Gandhara Art
Introduction:
- There were many works of art which were related to work processes of daily life and not exclusively produced for a privileged group of society.
- They are found in the forms of rock paintings, terracotta figurines, toys, etc.
- Gradually works of art, manufactured by specialist craftsmen, came to be produced for exclusive purposes.
- The Mauryan period witnessed production of splendid specimens of art by the state.
- With the emergence of social groups who could extend substantial patronage for production of specimens of art, new trends in art came about.
- In the post-Mauryan period, patronage by different social groups was the main reason behind the phenomenon of creating art becoming so widespread all over India and beyond; it was no longer exclusively patronized by the state.
- Also, from the Mauryan period onward, there was a shift towards using non-perishable material i.e., stone as a medium of creative expression.
- There was also constant interaction with art forms that flourished beyond the frontiers of the Indian sub-continent during this period.
- There emerged various schools of art.
- Most of the art forms were inspired by Jainism and Buddhism and very few Brahmanical monuments were to be found.
- In the period between 200 B.C.— 300 A.D. certain general characteristics of art may be highlighted:
1. The Buddha image which began to be sculpted in this period was a departure from earlier representations of him in the form of Bodhi tree, foot prints, stupa, etc. Making of images for worship became common among other religions as well.
2. Art activities in this period were mostly related to religions being practiced in this period and units and symbols that were associated with them.
3. The art forms and all of their symbolic representation were not exclusive to any particular religion.
4. The construction of viharas, chaityas and stupas became popular.
5. Because of regular interactions with other cultures in this period, we also find elements of non-Indian art among the artistic creations of this period. This is particularly true of the Gandhara region which produced art typical to the region, in which many different elements came to be assimilated.
6. The artists, in order to decorate the stupas, carved many scenes which they observed in nature along with religious ideas.
Gandhara School:
- Gandhara is located in the north-western part of the Indian sub-continent on the banks of river Indus.
- It included the valley of Peshawar, Buner, Swat and Bajaur.
- It was ruled by Achaemenids of Iran in the 6th-5th centuries B.C.
- Later, it was occupied by the Greeks, Mauryas, Shakas, Pahlavas and Kushan.
- As a result, this place had a mixed culture.
- It’s art, which was mainly Buddhist, was profoundly influenced by Hellenistic art.
- For example, the depiction of transparent garments draped in Greco-Roman fashion and very curly hair in Buddha idols.
- The main centres from where the art pieces of Gandhara school have been found are Hadda, Bagram, Bamiyan, Jalalabad and Taxila.
- Gandhara art can be divided into 2 schools-early and later.
- During the early school, which existed during 1st and 2nd century A.D., blue-grey schist stone was used to make idols.
- In the later school, instead of schist stone, mud, lime, pilaster, stucco and stone was used to make idols.
- (Note – In classical architecture, a pilaster is an architectural element used to give the appearance of a supporting column and to articulate an extent of wall, with only an ornamental function. It consists of a flat surface raised from the main wall surface, usually treated as though it were a column, with a capital at the top, plinth (base) at the bottom, and the various other column elements. In contrast to a pilaster, an engaged column or buttress can support the structure of a wall and roof above.)
(Note – Buttress – a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to strengthen or support it.)
[Note – Plinth – a heavy base supporting a statue or vase – (or) – the lower square slab at the base of a column – (or) – the base course of a building, or projecting base of a wall. (When it comes to buildings, the plinth lies between the floor and the ground.)]
- These idols give a realistic representation of the human figure clearly indicating limbs and other organs of the body.
- They are depicted with sharp features and anatomical accuracy.
- (Note – Relief is a sculptural technique where the sculpted elements remain attached to a solid background of the same material.)
- [Note – Bas-relief is a type of relief (sculpture) that has less depth to the faces and figures than they actually have, when measured proportionately (to scale).]
- Besides idols, we find beautiful carvings on reliefs and bas-reliefs. The theme being the life of Buddha and Bodhisattvas. For example.
1. On the ramparts of small pillars, of the Sahri Bahlol stupa, the image of Buddha, Bodhisattvas and incidents from their life have been carved out.
2. The drum of the Chir Tope Stupa at Taxila, is decorated by image of Bodhisattvas placed in niches for worship.
- A bronze reliquary was recovered from the side walls of the stupa at Shaji-ki-Dheri.
- It depicts Buddha.
Gandhara Art:
- The Gandhara art was started during the times of Indo-Greeks, but was well developed by Kushans.
- Especially, during the reign of Kanishka and showed its popularity over Uttarapatha.
- The important characteristic features of Gandhara Art consists of thin drapery of Greeks, curled hair style of Romans, strong body, hair knot, trimukha bhangimas, half-open heavy eye-lids, accurate dimensions of the sculpture and a gentle smiling face.
- It is known that Gandhara sculptors had adopted Greek technique of depicting the figure but with an Indian heart.
- As it possessed both Indian and Greek artistic characteristics, it has been called lndo-Greek sculptural art.
- In every sculpture one can find realistic life and for the first time Buddha was shown in image form.
- It also evolved and became famous at Amaravati, Sarnath and Madhura.
- Gandhara Art held sway for nearly 5 Centuries and gradually influenced all other schools of Art in India.
- Its important contribution to Indian sculptural art is the fashioning of images of Buddha and the Bodhisattvas into bas-reliefs.
- The style introduced by this art being the depiction of scenes from the life of Buddha which persisted in Northern India till 12th century A.D.
- The art of Madhura seems to have been the first to come under the influence of Gandhara school of art from what can be seen in the relics at Amaravati.
- The Gandhara art had many other aspects also.
- For illustration a gold reliquary has been found at Bimaran in which a series of figures are contained within an arcade.
- Similarly, Ivory plaques have been found at Bagram.
Conclusion:
- Works of art were related to work processes of daily life.
- The Mahayana doctrine was reflected in the distinctive art style of Gandhara.
- The Kushan period is famous for the growth of Gandhara art, especially during the reign of Kanishka and showed its popularity over Uttarapatha.
- A large number of Greco-Roman craftsmen were involved in the execution of the works of Gandhara Art.
- The main characteristics of this art style were related to religion.
- The important characteristic features of Gandhara Art consisted of the thin drapery of Greeks, curled hairstyles of Romans, strong body, hair knot, trimukha bhangimas, half-open heavy eye-lids, accurate dimensions of the sculpture and a gentle smiling face.
- The Gandhara Art gradually influenced all other schools of Art in India.
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