The Sunga period in Mathura is known for sculptures that belong to the old tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. Sunga sculptures show influences of floral scroll patterns. They depict figures adorned with many ornaments. The drapery is somewhat heavy. Female figures are shown wearing decorative headgear. Buddhism is represented through symbols like the wheel of law rather than figures of the Buddha, who is absent in Sunga art. Jataka tales reflecting Buddhist morals are depicted in the sculptures of this period.
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Sunga art, history , art history, indian art history
The Sunga period in Mathura is known for sculptures that belong to the old tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. Sunga sculptures show influences of floral scroll patterns. They depict figures adorned with many ornaments. The drapery is somewhat heavy. Female figures are shown wearing decorative headgear. Buddhism is represented through symbols like the wheel of law rather than figures of the Buddha, who is absent in Sunga art. Jataka tales reflecting Buddhist morals are depicted in the sculptures of this period.
The Sunga period in Mathura is known for sculptures that belong to the old tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. Sunga sculptures show influences of floral scroll patterns. They depict figures adorned with many ornaments. The drapery is somewhat heavy. Female figures are shown wearing decorative headgear. Buddhism is represented through symbols like the wheel of law rather than figures of the Buddha, who is absent in Sunga art. Jataka tales reflecting Buddhist morals are depicted in the sculptures of this period.
pure old tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. p e o o of Sunga work shows influence of floral ll i h i l scroll patterns in their sculptures. It reflects more of the mind, culture, tradition and ideology. The sculpture is not in bold relief. Both the male and female figures are adorned with a large number of ornaments. f DRAPERY is somewhat heavy and no light as is the case with the sculptures of later periods with the sculptures of later periods. Normally the eyeballs are conspicuous b i b by their absence. Female figures are seen decorative their headgears with Wreaths and Garlands, beads and costly cloth. The males appear with the special type of fluffy turbans generally decorated with the crest above. Absence of the figures of GAUTAMA BUDDHA is most noteworthy in Sunga art is most noteworthy in Sunga art. Lord has been represented with different b l h h h d b l symbols, such as stupa , three thronged symbol (Triratna) , turban (Usnisa) , dimond throne (Vajrasan), begging bowl , wheel of law and others. Buddhism: Buddhism is a spiritual contact Buddhism: Buddhism is a spiritual contact It is originated in the teaching of prince Siddharth Gautauma.Hes the historical founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment sitting d i l t k th dhi t i under a pipal tree. Now known as the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India. Gautama, from then on, was known as "The Enlightened One as The Enlightened One The sunga period was marked by the rise of important g p y f p buddhist monuments at sanchi, bharuth and other places in the nineteenth century. It comprises the large part of the decoration of the stone f railing and gateways of Buddhist It is originally started under the king Asoka. The sunga period was established by pushyamitra The sunga period was established by pushyamitra sunga he mistreated the Buddhism, the religion of sukymani and its art is in one of the great periods. ky o e of he g e pe o Sanchi sculptures depicting events of the buddhas life, legends of his previous births and the scenes important to early Buddhism ( when emperor Asokas vi it t B dhi t ) visit to Bodhi tree) The railing at bahruth has been craved with bas-reliefs depicting the various episodes of Buddha in jataka depicting the various episodes of Buddha in jataka stories in the absence of Buddha. Buddha is represented throughout in symbolic form b a h l b a t f t i t B dhi t by a wheel , by an empty footprints or Bodhi tree. B A LIFE OF BUDDHA:~ Mayadevi i h f ddh Birth of Buddha Leaving the palace Enlighten First sermon- at Sarnath Sarasvati miracle Subjugation of Nalagiri It is the name of one of the sacred books of the It is the name of one of the sacred books of the Buddhist. Jataka contains an account of Gautama Buddha . The book jataka consist of more The book jataka consist of more than 500poems, arranged roughly by increasing number of verses. Jataka tales reflects the Buddhist morals, J k e ef e e o , effects and principles. Yaksha is the counterpart of the female yakshini Y p f f y and the both attend to kubera, the hindu god of wealth They the hindu god of wealth. They both look treasure hidden in the th bl th t f f i i earth resemble that of fairies. Yakshinis are often depicted as beautiful and voluptuous with wide hips, narrow waist, broad shoulder and exaggerated spherical breasts. There are total 36 yakshinis. Terracotta or burnt clay was the e o o y e common mans medium for making works of art in India as else where. Sunga period plaques were produced from single moulds. The p q p f g themes chosen were sometimes every days toys but very often they included Mother goddess , Lakshmi g yaksha. Synoptic tradition of narration: y p f The synoptic narrative depicts a single scene in which a character or characters are character or characters are portrayed multiple times within a frame to convey that multiple actions are taking place. actions are taking place. Thi a e a e e e f eve t t be lea ithi the This causes a sequence of events to be unclear within the narrative. Synoptic narratives typically provide visual cues that convey the sequence , but still might be difficult to decipher for those un familiar with the story. Barhut is a location in Satna district in Madhya Pradesh, central India , in Madhya Pradesh, central India , known for famous relics from a Buddhist stupa. The Bharut l t t f th a li t a l f I dia a d sculpture represent some of the earliest examples of India and Buddhist art The barhut stupa have been established by the mauryan king Ashoka in the 3 rd century BCE, but many works of art were apparently added during the Sunga period The ruined stupa is still a Barhut , the gate ways and railings were dismantled and reassembled at Kolkata museum. They contain numerous birth stories of the Buddhas previous life or Jataka lives. Anionic phase of Buddhist art , the Buddha's only p f , y represented two symbols such as the Dharma wheel , the Bodhi tree Bodhi tree STYLE:~ The style represents the earliest phase of Indian art , d ll h t d i t d i th di and all characters are depicted wearing the Indian dhoti expect for one foreigner , thought to be an Indo- Greek soldier with Buddhist symbolism. The Barhut a vi li htl ea lie tha the Sa hi a vi carvings slightly earlier than the Sanchi carvings and the earlier Ajanta frescos. An unusual feature of Barhut panels is inclusion if text in the narrative panels often identifying the individuals panels , often identifying the individuals. BARHUT SCULPTURES:~ Early Indian sculpture of the Sunga period that decorated the great stupa , or relic mound , of Barhut , in g p f Madhya Pradesh state. It has been largely destroyed , and most of the existing remains railings and entrance gateways are of the existing remains , railings and entrance gateways are now in the Indian museum in Kolkata. : Stupas were built of stones or bricks to commemorate important Stupas were built of stones or bricks to commemorate important events or mark important places associated with Buddhism . The best examples of stupas are those at Amravati,Sanchi,Barhut and Gaya. Sanchi is a risen district of Madhya Pradesh is famous for its Sanchi is a risen district of Madhya Pradesh is famous for its magnificent Buddhist monuments and edifices. The t a b ilt b A h ka a da a ed d i the b eak The stupa built by Ashoka was damaged during the break-up of the Maurya empire. In the second century BC during the rule of the Sungas it was completely reconstructed. Religious activity led to the improvement and enlargement of the stupa and stone railing was built around it. The stupa has a large hemispherical dome which is flat at the top , The stupa has a large hemispherical dome which is flat at the top , and crowned by triple umbrella or chatra on a pedestal surrounded by a square railing or karmika. It i d th t l b t l v d TORANS h b ilt b It is presumed that elaborately carved TORANS where built by ivory or metal workers in the first century BC. The last to the stupa was made during the early 4 th century AD. p y y The first toran gateway to be built is the one at the principal entrance on the south each gate way has two square pillars entrance on the south.each gate way has two square pillars. Crowning each pillar on. All four sides are four elephants , four lions and dwarfs. f h lif f ddh d h k l Scenes from the life of Buddha and the JatakaTales are sculptured on the gateways,pillars,uprights and cross-bars of the railings. g Chatri Harmika Anda Toran Toran Drum Vedika Dff b M S MAURYAN ART SUNGA ART Difference between Mauryan and Sunga art: MAURYAN ART 1) In this art sculptures were more polished SUNGA ART 1) Where as in this sculptures they were less polished 2)The sculptors were skilled. 3) The sculptures were more 2) The sculptors were less skilled. 3) The sculptures were less 3) The sculptures were more naturalistic. 4) They had less of 3) The sculptures were less naturalistic. 4) They had more of ame tati ornamentation. 5) This sculptures had more curves. ornamentation. 5) This sculptures had mostly straight lines. Difference between kushanas & sungas Kushanas Sungas Difference between kushanas & sungas 1) Sculptures were polished 1)sculptures were not as polished as kushanas 2)portraitic tradition were not 2)Portraitic tradition was seen 2)por r r d o ere o seen )S i li ti t 3)specialization was seen 3)Specialisation were not seen. 4)Figures were not refined 5)Low relief sculptures 4)Figures are more refined 5)M li f l t 5)Low relief sculptures 5)More lief sculptures.