The Art of South and The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before Southeast Asia Before 1200 1200
Dec 16, 2015
The Art of South and Southeast The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200Asia Before 1200
South and Southeast AsiaSouth and Southeast Asia
Religion is the main Religion is the main influence on art during this influence on art during this periodperiodBuddhism and Hinduism Buddhism and Hinduism are the religions of this are the religions of this time; often coexistingtime; often coexistingSculpture and architecture Sculpture and architecture became the predominant became the predominant art formsart formsSensuous deities Sensuous deities decorated temples and decorated temples and monasteriesmonasteriesMore Buddhist influenced More Buddhist influenced art still exists today than art still exists today than does Hindu art. does Hindu art.
Buddhism and Its BackgroundBuddhism and Its Background
Buddha (the Enlightened Buddha (the Enlightened One) was the original One) was the original founder of Buddhism founder of Buddhism The religion focuses on The religion focuses on meditation, being meditation, being enlightened, and enlightened, and searching for knowledge searching for knowledge Buddha preached about Buddha preached about the Wheel of the Law and the Wheel of the Law and the Four Noble Truths the Four Noble Truths (both of which are (both of which are influential in artwork of influential in artwork of this period) this period)
Robed Male FigureRobed Male Figure
From Mohenjo-dara, From Mohenjo-dara, Pakistan, ca. 2000 – Pakistan, ca. 2000 – 1900 BCE1900 BCE
A characteristic of A characteristic of early Indus sculpture early Indus sculpture was its small form. was its small form.
Sculpture was Sculpture was influenced by the elite influenced by the elite class and political class and political leaders. leaders.
Lion CapitalLion Capital
Polished sandstone, ca. Polished sandstone, ca. 250 BCE250 BCECapitals such as this were Capitals such as this were highly decorated highly decorated sculptural architecture sculptural architecture characteristic of this characteristic of this period. period. These capitals were These capitals were displayed throughout the displayed throughout the Maurya Dynasty during Maurya Dynasty during Ashoka’s reign. Ashoka’s reign. The Wheel of the Law The Wheel of the Law displayed symbolize the displayed symbolize the king’s divine authority.king’s divine authority.
Great StupaGreat Stupa
From Sanchi, India, third From Sanchi, India, third century BCE to first century BCE to first century CEcentury CEMonument that housed Monument that housed religious relicsreligious relicsRelief sculpture was Relief sculpture was displayed on the outer displayed on the outer architecturearchitectureConsists of many Consists of many buildings constructed buildings constructed over the centuries over the centuries including the viharas and including the viharas and the chaitya halls the chaitya halls
YakshiYakshi
Detail of eastern gateway Detail of eastern gateway of the Great Stupa; mid-of the Great Stupa; mid-first century BCE to early first century BCE to early first century CEfirst century CE
Goddesses that Goddesses that personified fertility and personified fertility and vegetationvegetation
Scantily clad, sensuous Scantily clad, sensuous women used as relief women used as relief sculpture sculpture
Worshipped throughout Worshipped throughout India India
Standing YakshaStanding Yaksha
From the Maurya periodFrom the Maurya period
Yakshas are the male Yakshas are the male equivalent of yakshisequivalent of yakshis
Characteristics include Characteristics include males depicted as males depicted as powerful, robust, broad powerful, robust, broad shoulders, and open, shoulders, and open, staring eyesstaring eyes
Buddha statues often Buddha statues often resembled yakshas but resembled yakshas but differ in that they are differ in that they are clothed in a monk’s robeclothed in a monk’s robe
Canonical Buddha StatueCanonical Buddha Statue
Under the Guptas artists Under the Guptas artists formed a canonical figure formed a canonical figure for the Buddhafor the BuddhaMonastic robe covered Monastic robe covered both shouldersboth shouldersBuddha depicted with Buddha depicted with soft, full bodysoft, full bodySmooth, unadorned Smooth, unadorned surface that is symbolic of surface that is symbolic of Buddha’s spiritualityBuddha’s spiritualityEyes downcast in Eyes downcast in meditationmeditationImages of the Wheel of Images of the Wheel of the Law are displayedthe Law are displayed
Painted Caves of AjantaPainted Caves of Ajanta
Image of Bodhisattva Image of Bodhisattva Padmapani; wall painting Padmapani; wall painting in Cave 1, Ajanta, Indiain Cave 1, Ajanta, IndiaThese cave paintings are These cave paintings are some of the only Indian some of the only Indian paintings that remain paintings that remain todaytodayMethod of painting differs Method of painting differs from other cultures as from other cultures as they painted on dry they painted on dry plasterplasterResults proved to be less Results proved to be less durable than other fresco durable than other fresco style paintings in other style paintings in other culturescultures
HinduismHinduism
Like Buddhism, Hinduism is a polytheistic Like Buddhism, Hinduism is a polytheistic religionreligion
Sacrifice is essential as it is meant to Sacrifice is essential as it is meant to please deities and gain favor with themplease deities and gain favor with them
Hindu deities vary in form and naturesHindu deities vary in form and natures
Three most important deities are Shiva, Three most important deities are Shiva, Vishnu, and DeviVishnu, and Devi
Dancing ShivaDancing Shiva
Rock-cut relief in cave Rock-cut relief in cave temple; late sixth temple; late sixth centurycenturyShiva is often shown Shiva is often shown with multiple limbs with multiple limbs and/or heads as a and/or heads as a sign of his super-sign of his super-human naturehuman natureHindu deities often Hindu deities often represented as part represented as part human, part animalhuman, part animal
Shiva with three facesShiva with three faces
Shiva as Mahadeva; ca. Shiva as Mahadeva; ca. 550 – 575550 – 575AKA the “Great God” AKA the “Great God” Each face shows a Each face shows a different aspect of the different aspect of the deitydeityThe main frontal face The main frontal face displays Shiva’s quiet, displays Shiva’s quiet, balanced demeanorbalanced demeanorThe right face is a The right face is a creative femalecreative femaleThe left face a fierce, The left face a fierce, destructive maledestructive male
Vishnu asleep on the serpent AnataVishnu asleep on the serpent Anata
Detail of façade of Vishnu Detail of façade of Vishnu Temple; early sixth Temple; early sixth centurycenturyIn this relief Vishnu is In this relief Vishnu is meant to be dreaming the meant to be dreaming the universe into realityuniverse into realitySurrounding him are Surrounding him are other deities including his other deities including his wife Lakshmi and Shivawife Lakshmi and ShivaAlso included are Also included are personifications of personifications of Vishnu’s various powersVishnu’s various powers
Rock-cut TemplesRock-cut Temples
Mamallapuram, India; Mamallapuram, India; seventh centuryseventh century
Indian architects began to Indian architects began to carve freestanding carve freestanding temples from rocky temples from rocky outcroppingsoutcroppings
Very rare in relation to Very rare in relation to other cultures and other cultures and religionsreligions
Five temples were carved Five temples were carved out of one huge boulderout of one huge boulder
Rajarajeshvara TempleRajarajeshvara Temple
Thanjavur, India; ca. Thanjavur, India; ca. 10101010
Enormous, grand Enormous, grand temples were created temples were created during this periodduring this period
Dedicated to ShivaDedicated to Shiva
Exterior walls display Exterior walls display numerous reliefs in numerous reliefs in nichesniches
Vishvanatha TempleVishvanatha Temple
Khajuraho, India; ca. Khajuraho, India; ca. 10001000Vishvanatha is another Vishvanatha is another name for Shivaname for ShivaRising towers resemble Rising towers resemble rising foothills of the rising foothills of the Himalayas, home of Himalayas, home of ShivaShivaTemples are comparable Temples are comparable to actual mountain cave to actual mountain cave templestemplesDesigned with ideal Designed with ideal mathematical proportionsmathematical proportions
Shiva as NatarajaShiva as NatarajaBronze statue; ca. 1000Bronze statue; ca. 1000One of many examples of One of many examples of portable statues of deitiesportable statues of deitiesUse of hand gestures, Use of hand gestures, symbols, etc. all symbols, etc. all represent some deeper represent some deeper meaningmeaningThey viewed the statue They viewed the statue not as a symbol of the not as a symbol of the god, but as the actual god god, but as the actual god himselfhimselfHindus would care for Hindus would care for images such as this by images such as this by feeding, clothing, bathing, feeding, clothing, bathing, and taking it on outingsand taking it on outings
Death of the BuddhaDeath of the Buddha
Sri Lanka; ca. 11Sri Lanka; ca. 11thth to to 1212thth century centuryLargest sculpture in Largest sculpture in Southeast Asia Southeast Asia measuring 46 feet measuring 46 feet longlongBuddha’s cousin, and Buddha’s cousin, and chief disciple, stands chief disciple, stands at the left mourning at the left mourning his deathhis death
BorobudurBorobudur
Java, Indonesia; ca. 800Java, Indonesia; ca. 800
Colossal Buddhist Colossal Buddhist monumentmonument
Structure contains Structure contains millions of blocks of millions of blocks of volcanic stonevolcanic stone
More than 500 life-size More than 500 life-size Buddha imagesBuddha images
1000 relief panels1000 relief panels
1500 stupas1500 stupas
Angkor WatAngkor Wat
Angkor, Cambodia; 12Angkor, Cambodia; 12thth centurycentury
The largest of all Khmer The largest of all Khmer temple complexestemple complexes
Purpose was to associate Purpose was to associate the king with his personal the king with his personal god (Vishnu)god (Vishnu)
Five towers symbolize Five towers symbolize five peaks of Mount Merufive peaks of Mount Meru
Stone reliefs glorify Stone reliefs glorify VishnuVishnu
BayonBayon
Angkor Thom, Cambodia; Angkor Thom, Cambodia; ca. 1200ca. 1200
Unique in that the Unique in that the combination of circular combination of circular terraces, towers, and terraces, towers, and giant faces were usedgiant faces were used
The king turned from the The king turned from the Hindu traditions of his Hindu traditions of his ancestors to worshiping ancestors to worshiping the Buddhathe Buddha