CBSE Class 11 Painting And Sculpture Buddhist Jain And Hindu Art Worksheet Set A

Buddhist, Jain and Hindu Art/Buddhist Indian Sculptures

Buddhist Indian sculptures can be best defined as splendid examples of religious sculpture and architecture. This type of sculpture developed in India around 255BC, especially, due to the efforts of Mauryan emperor Ashoka. Impressed by the ideologies of Buddhism Ashoka adopted it as the state religion. It was on his initiative that some remarkable Buddhist Indian sculptures were carved out. These sculptures used for popularizing this new religion. Hence a completely different idiom in the history of Indian sculpture evolved.

The Buddhist Indian architecture including the construction of stupas, chaityas and pillars. Iconography becomes an important part of Buddhist architecture. As far as the sculpture was concern it was simpler compared to the later sculpture included an iconic representation of Gautham Buddha. The style evolved by Ashoka can also be seen in buildings that sprang up in the Buddhist Pilgrimage centres. While discussing the architecture and sculpture it is important to include the sculptures of stupas. The sculpture of Sanchi is a fine specimen of the Buddha art.

Another important construction that emerged with the Buddhist religious principles is the caves, the architecture and the sculpture of Buddhist caves. Apart from this the sculpture of Chaityas, the sculpture of Vihara and sculpture of Ashokan Pillars are quite significant too.

Chaitya is a Buddhist shrine or prayer hall.
Stupas are one of the most recognizable forms of Buddhist architecture.
Vihara was the ancient Indian term for a Buddhist monastery.
Iconography-The traditional or conventional images or symbols associated with a subject and especially a religious or legendary subject.

SCULPTURE OF MAURYAN PERIOD

This period marked an imaginative and impressive step forward in Indian sculpting. Although some would consider the pillars of Ashoka as architecture, owing to their freestanding nature and elaborately carved animal capitals most of the art historians consider them as the example of sculpture. Coomaraswami (Art critic) distinguishes between court art and a more popular art during the Mauryan period. Court art is represented by the pillars and their capitals. Popular art is represented by the works of the local sculptors like Chauri Bearer or Yakshini (Didarganj, Patna, Bihar) and Lion Capital (Sarnath, UP).

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