Characteristics of Kushan Art
History of Garhwal, Kumaon (Uttarakhand) - Part 51
Historical Aspects of Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-48
Historical Religious, political, administrative, social and cultural aspects of Kushan Era Part- III
(All the History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabra,S.K.Kalal)
Kushans were great patrons of Art. The sculpture making principles were formed at the Kushan period. Kushan Art principles had been influences the Indian art for many centuries. Before, Kushan period, the artists used to show Buddha by symbols of lotus and footsteps. However, it was first time that the Kushan period artists showed Buddha in human form. The Jain and Hindu artist of Kushan (definitely, Kushan Kings did patron) Age also started showing their deities and legends in human forms.
The Kushan era artists and sculptors created two distinct schools of Art- Gandhara School of art and Mathura School of art.
There was enormous influence of Greek art and other western art on the artists and sculptors in making Gandhara art coins, and sculptures, architecture and paintings.
The subject was Indian but artist were foreigners. The deities were Indians but the shape, style and their dressings were totally Greek. The Gandhara images of Buddha of Kushan time are in Greco-Roman style. The Buddha images resembled with Greek Apollo.
The cities were constructed on Hippodamian pattern with Greek, Persian influences.
The Gandhara sculptors used grayish schist stone and stucco.
The Gandhara School of art had centers as Kapisa (modern Begram), Gandhara region, Nagarhara (Modern Hadda), Bamiyan, Fondukistan and Kashmir.
Mathura School of Kushan Art
Mathura artist of Kushan period took influence from indigenous images, folk culture, folk legends, folk deities and folk goddesses. Mathura Art of Kushan period is famous for representing female beauty. The females are beautiful, sensuous and voluptuous. The Mathura artists and sculptors created ideal Indian beauty with females have oval face, ample breasts, slender waist and broad hips. The men in Mathura school of Art of Kushan period are sophisticated and urbane. There are daily life acts. Hindu deities and goddesses, folk legends are sculptured in story telling styles. The artists and sculptors also illustrated Jain deities and legends with fish, flag, and jewel box. Mathura school of art sculptors used mottled red sand stone of Agra region. The paintings of Brahminical art are also specific in nature.
There are definitely Greek effects on Mathura art, sculpture and architects.
The Hindu art started from Mathura School of Art of Kushan period.
Mathura School of art and Gandhara School of art of Kushan period influenced each other too.
Effects of Mathura Art in Himalayan Hills
The writings of Cunningham, Coomarswamy, Vogel, S. Konow state that under Kushan period, the Indian plains art started penetrating Himalayan hills. The structure found in Panduwala, (Laldhang, Kotdwara), Veerbhadra of Dehradun district are proof that Mathura art of School influenced Himalayan Art at Kushan period and at later ages too.
Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 23/05/2013
(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon write up is aimed for general readers)
History of Garhwal – Kumaon (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -52
Ancient communities of Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas- to be continued…49
Historical Religious, political, administrative, social and cultural aspects of Kushan Era to be continued in … Part-4
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