Post Mauryan Art

India after Mauryas was a not a very remarkable period for political solidarity but it saw development of Indian culture to a great extent. After the successors of Ashoka failed to keep the empire intact, various small kingdoms emerged in the face of Indian subcontinent. The Mauryan Dynasty was soon replaced by the Sunga dynasty.

Post Mauryan India

Northern Central Ruled by → Shungas, Kanvas, and Guptas
Western Southern Ruled by → Satavahanas, Ikshavakus, Abhiras, Vakataks
Marked the Re-emergence of main Bramhanical sects such as the Vaishnavas and the Shaivas

Caves

Mainly three architectural types were executed (Western India – 200 BCE)

Apsidal Vault	Roof Chaitya halls		found at Ajanta, Pithalkhora, Bhaja
Apsidal Vault	Roof pillar less hall		found at Thana – Nadsur
Flat quadrangular hall with a circular chamber at back			found at Kondivite
In all the chaitya caves a stupa at the back is common Viharas consists of a veranda, a hall and cells around the walls of the halls
Chaitya → Prayer hall for monks		Viharas → Residence / Resting place of monks

Stupas

A lower pradakshinapatha or circumbulatory path was added along with the upper one at Stupa – 1 (Sanchi)
All the four gateways were now carved with beautiful sculptures.
Depiction of picture got naturalistic with no stiffness in the body
Figure compositions became high in relief – filling up the entire space
Carving technique appeared more advanced
Symbols continued to be used representing the Buddha

Sculptures (100 CE)

The apex of the sculpture making is said to be found in this period
Imporatant centers – Gandhara (now in Pakistan), Mathura in India and Vengi in Andhra Pradesh
Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in Mathura and Gandhara.

Gandhar School of Art (50 BC – 500 AD)

North-western part of the Indian sub-continent – Buddhist School (Mahayana)
Mainly Greco Roman style – Buddha image was inspired by Hellenistic realism, tempered by Persian, Scythian, and Parthian models
Buddha images resembled the portrayal of God Apollo – Apollonian faces, hair in Greco-Roman style, draperies arranged in style of a Roman
Carved Spiritual Buddha → represents calmness, Bearded, Moustache, wearing ornaments, Wavy hair (Greek), large forehead (Greek) → Bodhisattavas position
Buddha seated in position of yogi, having large ears (Greek), Eyes half closed, Protuberance on his head (signifies that Buddha knows all)
Owed its origin to Indo Greek rulers, but real patrons were shaka & kushanas esp. Kanishka
Early School used bluish grey sandstone & later school used Mud and Stucco (lime plaster) however marble was not used.

Gandhara Art is shown making four types of hand gestures and this is a remarkable feature in this art. The gestures are as follows:

Abhayamudra : Don’t fear
Dhyanamudra : meditation
Dharmachakramudra: a preaching mudra
Bhumisparshamudra: Touching the earth

Buddha Bhumisparshamudra — Bhumisparshamudra

Buddha Dharmachakramudra — Dharmachakramudra

Sculptors constructed Buddhist images with anatomical accuracy, spatial depth, and foreshortening.
Depiction of Budhha in Sitting & Standing position with great attention to body details
Seated Buddha is always shown cross-legged in the traditional Indian way. Buddha is seated on a lotus thron
Attributes to tallest rock-cut statue of Lord Buddha – Bamiyan (Afghanistan) – 3-4 century AD.

Mathura School of Art (50 BC – 600 AD)

Purely indigenous in nature, reaching its zenith under the Kushanas, mainly Kanishka
Drew inspiration from ancient Indian art of Bharhut and Sanchi → Initially inspired by Yaksha Images
Not limited to only the images of Buddha but also the Jainas, Female deities & Hindu gods → Secular
Established tradition of transforming Buddhist symbols into human form
Earliest sculptures of Buddha were made keeping the Yakshaprototype in mind.
Both sitting and standing posture of Buddha in delighted state, not spiritual
Buddha’s head and face Shaven, dress is tight; energetic body, face reflects grace
1^st to depict smile on the face of Buddha but less expressive than Gandhar school
The halo around the head of Buddha was profusely decorated which was not the case in Ghandhar school

standing_buddha Mathura — Standing Buddha

Sarvatobhadra_Jain_Mathura — Sarvatobhadra Jain

Headless Kanishka Mathura — Headless Kanishka

Buddha shown seated in Padmasana, Right hand in AbhayMudra (Indicate reassurance) raised above shoulder, Left hand on left thigh (reflect muscularity), Protuberance on head.
Buddha is seated on lion thron.
The Sarvatobhadrika image of 4 Jain Jinas standing back to back belongs to the Mathura school.
Famous for headless statue of Kanishka
Material used was red sandstone mainly with a little use of terracotta
Reached its peak during the Gupta period

Amaravati School of Art (200 BC -200AD)

Flourished on banks of Krishna river (Andhra Pradesh)
Main patrons – Satavahanas & Ikshvakus
White Marble (limestone) was used in this art
Site of largest Buddhiststupa of South India.
Themes were Buddha’s life and Jatakas tales → Mainly Buddhist
Curly hairs of Buddha → A feature that is influenced by the Greeks.
Sculptural composition is more complex and characterized by intense emotions, bodies are shown with three bents (i.e. tribhanga)
In this school, statues of Kings, Princes, and Palaces got prominence.