Panel depicting Buddha, Terra cotta, coated with thin layer of fine clay before baking, From eastern face of Stupa plinth at Kanujo-daro, West Pakistan, about 5th Century A.D. London, Victoria and Albert Museum
Date
Authors
Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
This Buddha image testifies to the spread to [sic] formal sculptural influence extending from the main centers of Buddhist art at this time: Mathura and Sarnath: to the neighboring regions of India, namely Pakistan, All the formal attributes of the Enlightened Buddha are present: yogi posture, lotus-ornamented nimbus, close-cropped hair, partially bare upper body and restful expression, But how different these elements appear in Pakistanian use, Certain aspects have been altered to regionalize the image as well: for example, the 'knowledge bump' characteristic to Buddha figures does not appear on the head of this model, the hands are held in a completely immovable state in the lap (no gesture of protection nor 'Turning of the Wheel), the body proportions are non-Indian as is the type of drapery covering them, and the expression on this figure's face is decidedly more down-to-earth, even smiling, Aside from these attributional features, the character of the sculpture is quite different, actually provincial, if almost bordering on the crude,
Keywords
Gupta Period, Gupta Sculpture, General, ceramics, mounted transparency set
Citation
Collections
Source
Type
Image
Archives Series
Basham Collection
Date created
circa 1970s
Access Statement
License Rights
This image is provided for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the Archives Program, Australian National University.
DOI
Restricted until
Downloads
File
Description