Gandhara School of Art, Features, UPSC Notes

The Gandhara School of Art is one of the three most popular schools of art originating in the first century CE. It originated in Gandhara (now in Pakistan). Gandhara school of art was predominantly Buddhist. The Buddhist religion flourished under the patronage of Kushan emperors, and several images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas were produced during their reign.

The Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in the Mathura and Gandhara school of art. The sculptural tradition in Gandhara showed the confluence of Bactria, Parthia, and the local Gandhara tradition.

About Gandhara School of Art 

In Ancient times Gandhara was a famous center of trade along the Silk Road for centuries. Gandhara had a strategic position that attracted many invaders such as the Greeks, Parthians, and Kushans, who brought with them diverse artistic conventions. The Gandhara School of Art originated in the Taxila Valley in the northwest region of India from the second century B.C. to the first century A.D. 

• Major centres: The major locations were Taxila, Peshawar, Begram, and Bamiyan. 
• Influence: Gandhara art was influenced by the conversion of the region to Buddhism by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The origin of Gandhara art resulted from interactions between Greek, Roman, and Indian styles. 
• Golden Age: The Gandhara art style flourished much during the Kushan dynasty, especially during the rule of the emperor Kaniska.
• Buddhist depictions: The first depiction related to Buddhism dates to the early first century A.D. in the Gandhara school of art. This style of art was associated with Mahayana Buddhism and hence the main theme was Buddha and Bodhisattvas. 
• Giant Buddha sculptures: By the late fifth century A.D., the patronage of Buddhist monuments in Gandhara had begun to decline, but in Afghanistan, this artistic tradition flourished until about the eighth century A.D. 
  • It was during this late phase in Afghanistan that sculptures of Buddha reached truly monumental proportions, such as the famous Buddhas at Bamiyan.
• More Buddhist sculptures and architecture have been found in Greater Gandhara than in any other part of ancient South Asia.

Gandhara School of Art Features

The Gandhara School of Art represents a unique blend of Indian, Greek, and Roman artistic traditions. It primarily developed in the region of modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, particularly in the Gandhara region. Below are its key features:

• Blend of Indian and foreign traditions: The Gandhara school included many motifs and techniques from the Classical Roman style (such as vine scrolls, cherubs bearing garlands, tritons, and centaurs). The basic iconography, however, remained Indian.
• Materials: The materials used for Gandhara sculpture were green phyllite and gray-blue mica schist in the earlier phase. Whereas stucco was used increasingly after the 3rd century CE. The sculptures were also painted and gilded.
• Idealistic depiction: The Buddha was represented with a youthful and attractive Apollo-like face. Dress/garments resembled those seen on Roman imperial statues.
• Realistic and naturalistic style: A more realistic and naturalistic aesthetic made it possible to depict the human figure in greater detail. Whereas the older Buddhist art tended to be more abstract and symbolic.
• Secular sculpture: The Gandhara School was mainly tied to Buddhism, but it also featured some secular sculptures representing royal and aristocratic people as well as commonplace settings.
• General features of sculptures:
  • The Buddha is shown with wavy hair, a long nose, and a slim oval face.
  • The drape of his garment was bold recalling the togas of Hellenistic sculpture. 
  • The divine figure was sometimes shown with humanistic details such as jewelry and a mustache.
  • Greek pantheon figures also appear alongside statues of the Buddha.
  • The sculptures were adorned with flowers, fruit trees, and ropes of leaves. So the landscapes and flora of distant lands blended with Indian art.
• Non-Greek features: Many of the images represent Buddha as seated in the typically Indian Yogic posture, a feature completely unknown to the Hellenistic tradition of art.
• Mudras of Buddha: Mostly four types of mudras (hand gestures) are shown in this art. This include Abahaya mudra, Dhyana mudra, Dharmachakra mudra, and Bhumisparsha mudra.

Gandhara School of Art UPSC PYQs

Question 1: Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain. (UPSC Mains 2014)

Gandhara School of Art FAQs

Q1. What was the Gandhara School of Art?
Ans. A unique blend of Greco-Roman and Indian styles of Buddhist sculpture, it originated around 50 BC in the Gandhara region (modern-day Pakistan).

Q2. Who promoted the Gandhara School of Art?
Ans. It flourished from the 1st to 5th century CE under the patronage of Buddhist Kushan kings.

Q3. Who invented Gandhara art?
Ans. It developed during the Kushan dynasty, especially under Emperor Kanishka and his successors.

Q4. What is the difference between Mathura and Gandhara?
Ans. Gandhara had Greco-Roman influences and focused on Buddhist themes, while Mathura was purely Indian, incorporating Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain themes.

Q5. What are the three schools of art?
Ans. The Gandhara, Mathura, and Amravati schools represent the major schools of ancient Indian art.