The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200

South and Southeast Asia Religion is the main influence on art during this period Buddhism and Hinduism are the religions of this time; often coexisting Sculpture and architecture became the predominant art forms Sensuous deities decorated temples and monasteries More Buddhist influenced art still exists today than does Hindu art.

Buddhism and Its Background Buddha (the Enlightened One) was the original founder of Buddhism The religion focuses on meditation, being enlightened, and searching for knowledge Buddha preached about the Wheel of the Law and the Four Noble Truths (both of which are influential in artwork of this period)

Robed Male Figure From Mohenjo-dara, Pakistan, ca. 2000 – 1900 BCE A characteristic of early Indus sculpture was its small form. Sculpture was influenced by the elite class and political leaders.

Lion Capital Polished sandstone, ca. 250 BCE Capitals such as this were highly decorated sculptural architecture characteristic of this period. These capitals were displayed throughout the Maurya Dynasty during Ashoka’s reign. The Wheel of the Law displayed symbolize the king’s divine authority.

Great Stupa From Sanchi, India, third century BCE to first century CE Monument that housed religious relics Relief sculpture was displayed on the outer architecture Consists of many buildings constructed over the centuries including the viharas and the chaitya halls

Yakshi Detail of eastern gateway of the Great Stupa; mid-first century BCE to early first century CE Goddesses that personified fertility and vegetation Scantily clad, sensuous women used as relief sculpture Worshipped throughout India

Standing Yaksha From the Maurya period Yakshas are the male equivalent of yakshis Characteristics include males depicted as powerful, robust, broad shoulders, and open, staring eyes Buddha statues often resembled yakshas but differ in that they are clothed in a monk’s robe

Canonical Buddha Statue Under the Guptas artists formed a canonical figure for the Buddha Monastic robe covered both shoulders Buddha depicted with soft, full body Smooth, unadorned surface that is symbolic of Buddha’s spirituality Eyes downcast in meditation Images of the Wheel of the Law are displayed

Painted Caves of Ajanta Image of Bodhisattva Padmapani; wall painting in Cave 1, Ajanta, India These cave paintings are some of the only Indian paintings that remain today Method of painting differs from other cultures as they painted on dry plaster Results proved to be less durable than other fresco style paintings in other cultures

Hinduism Like Buddhism, Hinduism is a polytheistic religion Sacrifice is essential as it is meant to please deities and gain favor with them Hindu deities vary in form and natures Three most important deities are Shiva, Vishnu, and Devi

Dancing Shiva Rock-cut relief in cave temple; late sixth century Shiva is often shown with multiple limbs and/or heads as a sign of his super-human nature Hindu deities often represented as part human, part animal

Shiva with three faces Shiva as Mahadeva; ca. 550 – 575 AKA the “Great God” Each face shows a different aspect of the deity The main frontal face displays Shiva’s quiet, balanced demeanor The right face is a creative female The left face a fierce, destructive male

Vishnu asleep on the serpent Anata Detail of façade of Vishnu Temple; early sixth century In this relief Vishnu is meant to be dreaming the universe into reality Surrounding him are other deities including his wife Lakshmi and Shiva Also included are personifications of Vishnu’s various powers

Rock-cut Temples Mamallapuram, India; seventh century Indian architects began to carve freestanding temples from rocky outcroppings Very rare in relation to other cultures and religions Five temples were carved out of one huge boulder

Rajarajeshvara Temple Thanjavur, India; ca. 1010 Enormous, grand temples were created during this period Dedicated to Shiva Exterior walls display numerous reliefs in niches

Vishvanatha Temple Khajuraho, India; ca. 1000 Vishvanatha is another name for Shiva Rising towers resemble rising foothills of the Himalayas, home of Shiva Temples are comparable to actual mountain cave temples Designed with ideal mathematical proportions

Shiva as Nataraja Bronze statue; ca. 1000 One of many examples of portable statues of deities Use of hand gestures, symbols, etc. all represent some deeper meaning They viewed the statue not as a symbol of the god, but as the actual god himself Hindus would care for images such as this by feeding, clothing, bathing, and taking it on outings

Death of the Buddha Sri Lanka; ca. 11th to 12th century Largest sculpture in Southeast Asia measuring 46 feet long Buddha’s cousin, and chief disciple, stands at the left mourning his death

Borobudur Java, Indonesia; ca. 800 Colossal Buddhist monument Structure contains millions of blocks of volcanic stone More than 500 life-size Buddha images 1000 relief panels 1500 stupas

Angkor Wat Angkor, Cambodia; 12th century The largest of all Khmer temple complexes Purpose was to associate the king with his personal god (Vishnu) Five towers symbolize five peaks of Mount Meru Stone reliefs glorify Vishnu

Bayon Angkor Thom, Cambodia; ca. 1200 Unique in that the combination of circular terraces, towers, and giant faces were used The king turned from the Hindu traditions of his ancestors to worshiping the Buddha