The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200

1. The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200

2. 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.

3. 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)

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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