Mathura School of Art, Features, UPSC Notes

From the first century AD onwards Mathura in northern India emerged as an important center of art production that came to be known as the Mathura School of Art. Most significant images were produced during the Kushan and Gupta periods (from the first to sixth century AD).

The Mathura school was contemporaneous with a second important Gandhara school of art (school of Kushan art). From around the first century AD, both of these schools have separately evolved their representations of the Buddha. In Mathura school, all three important religions of India, Brahmanism, Jainism, and Buddhism are represented, unlike Gandhara school where the major focus is only on Buddhism.

About Mathura School of Art

The Mathura School of Art developed on indigenous lines without any major foreign influence. The Buddha's face exhibits the spiritual feeling which was largely absent in the Gandhara school.

• Origin: Mathura art developed during the post-Maurya period (mainly during the Shunga period) and reached its peak during the Gupta period (AD 325 to 600).
• Major centres: The traditional centre, Mathura, remained the main art production site. Over the centuries, Sarnath and Kosambi also became important centres of art production.
• Dominance of Religion: The Mathura School of Art, noted for its vitality and assimilative character, was a result of the religious zeal of Brahmanism, Jainism, and Buddhism.
• Themes: Themes may vary from Buddhist, Jainism, Brahmanical to sometimes secular. Several Brahmanical deities were first given forms of idols by this school.
• Depiction in Human form: Earlier at Sanchi, Barhut, or Gaya, Buddha was never depicted in a human form but was represented only as a symbol of either two footprints or a wheel. Under the Mathura school of art human image of Buddha appeared, which was independent of other schools of art.
• Famous statues:
  • It is famous for the headless erect statue of Kanishka whose name is inscribed at its lower end.
  • Several stone images of Jain Tirthankaras (especially Vardhamana Mahavira) were produced.
  • Its pre-Gupta sculpture ignores lord Krishna, however later his sculptures are also found.
  • The images of Siva and Vishnu and their consorts Parvathi and Lakshmi were produced.
  • The figures of Yakshinis and Apsaras were beautifully carved.
• Spread: The sculptural tradition of Mathura gradually spread to other parts of northern India. One example is the stupa sculptures found at Sanghol, Punjab.
• Export: Mathura exported Buddhist images to various places, such as Sarnath and even as far as Rajgir in Bihar. Images in the mottled red sandstone from the nearby Sīkri quarries are found widely distributed over north-central India, attesting to Mathura’s importance as an exporter of sculpture.

Mathura School of Art Features

The Mathura School of Art can be called a significant turning point in Indian art history. It is here that the symbolic representations were replaced with iconographic forms of deities. Under Mathura School of Art, images of the Buddha, Yakshas, Yakshinis, Shaivite and Vaishnavite deities, and portrait statues are profusely sculpted. 

• Native style: The Buddha images were modeled similarly to earlier Yaksha images whereas in Gandhara they had Hellenistic features. The Mathura style evolved with native elements such as lotus feet, meditative gaze on the face, etc. 
• Naturalistic style: The features are naturalistic rather than realistic. The Greco-Roman realistic features found in Gandhara school were not adopted in Mathura school. 
• Major features of sculptures:
  • Mathura has produced Buddha images of various dimensions. However, there was an inclination towards carving large images.
  • The volume of the images significantly projected out of the picture plane.
  • The faces were round and smiling, and the heaviness in the sculptural volume was reduced to relaxed flesh.
  • In these images, the overall effect was of enormous energy.
  • Vishnu and Shiva were represented by their ayudhas (weapons).
  • The entire figure was clothed. The transparent quality of the robes was also evident.
  • The robes are visible and they cover the left shoulder.
  • Images continued to depict folds of the drapery.
  • The halo around the head of the image was profusely decorated.
• Vaishnavism and Shaivism: Images of Vaishnava (mainly Vishnu and his various forms) and Shaiva (mainly the lingas and mukhalingas) faiths are also found at Mathura but Buddhist images are found in large numbers. 
• Later Evolution of Mathura school:
• By the second century CE, images got more sensual, rotundity increased and became fleshier.
• In the third century CE, the fleshiness of images was reduced, movement was shown by increasing distance between the two legs as well as by using bents in the body posture.
• In the late fourth century CE, the massiveness and fleshiness was reduced.
• In the fifth and sixth centuries CE, the drapery was integrated into the sculptural mass and the volume of the drapery was also reduced.
• Material used: Spotted red sandstone has been used as primary material in this school.
• Features of Buddha images:
• The shoulders and the chest were broad.
• The head was shaven; the Usanisa (protuberance on the top of the head) indicated by a tiered spiral; a round smiling face; the right arm raised in abhaya-mudra (gesture of reassurance) and the left arm resting on the thigh.
• Presence of the lion throne rather than the lotus throne.
• Later, the hair began to be treated as a series of short flat spirals lying close to the head.
• Other religious images: Jaina and Hindu images of the period are carved in the same style as Buddhist images. The images of the Jaina Tīrthaṅkaras were very similar to contemporary images of the Buddha, except for iconography.
• Non-religious images: The dynastic portraits produced in Mathura school are of special interest. Figures of Kushan kings are dressed in Central Asian fashion, with long tunic, high boots, and conical caps.
• Female images: The female figures are carved in high relief on the pillars and gateways of both Buddhist and Jaina monuments. These resembled the Yakshi (female nature deity) seen at other Buddhist sites, such as Bharhut and Sanchi. They were auspicious symbols of fertility and abundance that had a popular appeal.

Mathura School of Art UPSC PYQs

Question 1: Lord Buddha’s image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra'. It symbolizes: (UPSC Prelims 2012)

(a) Buddha’s calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his meditation

(b) Buddha’s calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara

(c) Buddha’s reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory

(d) Both the statements (a) and (b) are correct in this context

Answer: (b)

Question 2: Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art and architecture. (UPSC Mains 2022)

Mathura School of Art FAQs

Q1. Who developed the Mathura School of Art?

Ans. The Mathura school of art first originated during the reign of the Kushan dynasty. It flourished under the Kushana emperor Kanishka during the first century AD.

Q2. What are the differences between Gandhara and Mathura School of Art?

Ans. Gandhara School had foreign influences whereas Mathura School developed on purely indigenous lines. Gandhara school of art was influenced by Buddhism while the Mathura school of art was Influenced by Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. 

Q3. What is the main feature of Mathura art?

Ans. One of the key features of the Mathura School was it was purely Indian, with the figures portrayed with curly hair and a more rotund build, in contrast to the Greco-Roman features of the Gandhara School.

Q4. Which stone was used in the Mathura School of Art?

Ans. The stone used in the Mathura School of Art was red spotted sandstone.

Q5. What is the golden age for Mathura School of Art?

Ans. The period of the Kushana dynasty mainly under the king Kanishka, Huviska, and Vasudeva is considered to be the golden age for the Mathura school of art.