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You are here: Home / Art & Culture / Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in Gandhara art

Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in Gandhara art

March 15, 2020 by BureaucratONE 1 Comment Last Updated March 15, 2020

Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in Gandhara art

Gandhara art,a style of Buddhist Visual art developed in the region west of Indus during kushanas. Gandhara was a Mahajanpadha with Taxila as its capital. This region was ruled by Greco-Bactrian and Central Asian, therefore, had their influence in the art style as early as 2nd century BCE to 1st century AD

Elements of Influence

  • Hellenistic Facial features
    • Face like Greek god Apollo
    • Curly Hair
    • Elongated ear lobes
    • Calmness and smooth surface
  • Muscular body
    • Like greek and roman gods
  • Cloth Draping
    • Greek Himation(wavy robes) and draping pattern on Buddha
  • 1st Anthromorphic Representation of Buddha
    • Usually, Budhha is represented with symbols like the stupa, the Bodhi tree, the empty seat, the wheel, or the footprints in other Buddhist art
  • Hercules, Greek God
    • Sculptures of Buddha under the protection of Hercules
  • Contrapposto
    • The upright figure of buddha is a Greco-Roman feature while Indian Buddha is usually in the seated position

Thus Gandhara art is a manifestation of Greek influence in Buddhist art flourished in Gandhara Mahajanpada.

Filed Under: Art & Culture, GS1

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