HA227:
Indian Painting
Early
Indian Art: Aesthetics and Techniques
12
September 2002
L: Map of India
R: Blank
L:
Steatite seals, Indus Valley Civilization (modern India and Pakistan),
ca.2100-1750
B.C.
R:
Seals with bull and horned animal (“unicorn”) designs,
from Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan,
ca.2100-1750
B.C.
L: Seal showing a humped bull
R: Oxen and cart, South India
L: Seal showing a male seated in a yogic position
R: HOLD
L: Yaksha from Parkham (Uttar Pradesh, India), ca.2nd-1st century B.C.
R: Fly-whisk bearer from Didarganj, Patna (Bihar), India, ca. 3rd c B.C.
L:
,Stupa I (Great Stupa), Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh), India, ca. 3rd c. B.C.-1st
c. AD,
view
R: Stupa I, side view of gateways
L: Stupa I, west gateway
R: Stupa I, east gateway with elephant and yakshi
L: Stupa I, north gateway showing worship of stupa
R: Stupa I, west gateway, showing Procession of Relics
L: Stupa I, north gate, Mara and his army
R: detail
L:
Railing Pillar scene showing scenes of worship by snake gods, from
Bharhut
(Madhya
Pradesh), India, ca.100-80 B.C.
R: detail
L: Bharhut, Dance scene, detail
R: Bharhut, worship scene, detail
L: Bharhut, medallion showing figures and flowers
R: Bharhut, elephants worshipping
L: HOLD
R: Bharhut, Monkeys and elephants
L: Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh), India, standing Buddha figure, ca.475 A.D.
R: Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance, South India, 11th c. A.D.
L: View of Ajanta caves (Maharashtra), India, ca. late 5th c.. A.D.
R: View
L: Plan of site
R: Plans of Cave 19 & 26
L:
Cave 26, façade
R:
Cave 26, interior
L: Cave 26, Buddha figure
R: Cave 26, ceiling painting of dwarf
L: Cave 17, ceiling detail
R: Cave 17, painted doorway
L: Cave 17, shrine
R: Cave 17, painted pillars
L:
Cave 17, Tale of Prince Vessantara, detail
R:
Detail, figure
L: Cave 1, view of shrine
R: Cave 1, Bodhisattva “Vajrapani” to right of shrine
L: HOLD
R: Cave 1, Bodhisattva “Padmapani” to left of shrine
L: Detail, “Vajrapani”
R: HOLD
L: HOLD
R: Cave 1, Ceiling detail with couple
lakshana: magical mark on Buddha’s body
urna: “hairy mole;” bump between eyes
ushnisha: “cranial protruberance;” bump on top of head
mudra: symbolic hand gestures—abhaya (not-fear, reassurance), bhumisparsha (earth-touching), dharmachakra (setting in motion wheel of Law; preaching first sermon),
dhyana (meditation)
asana: symbolic seated posture—padmasana (lotus posture), lalitasana (posture of royal ease, with one leg pendant)
bodhisattva: “wisdom or enlightenment being,” one who holds off on nirvana so he can aid others; a term often applied to Shakyamuni prior to his full enlightenment; distinguished by princely decoration