Gandhara Art

One of the greatest contributions of Buddhism was the impetus it gave to the development of art & architecture. Two schools of Art known as the Amaravati (in Andhra) and Gandhara ( in North Western India) developed.

The Gandhara region extending from Punjab to the borders of Afghanistan was an important center for Mahayana Buddhism upto 5th Centur AD. A new school of Indian sculpture known as the Gandhara school developed during that period. All kinds of foreign influences like Persian, Greek, Roman, Saka and Kushana were imbibed into it.

The origin of Gandhara art can be traced to the Greek rulers of Bactria and North West India. During the reign of Kanishka, this art recieved great patronage. Buddhist monastries, stupas, images of Buddha and Bodhisatvas were constructed on a large scale. The Gandhara school of Art is also known as the Graeco-Buddhist school of Art since Greek techniques of Art were applied to Buddhist subjects. The art was essentially Indian in spirit but the technique was borrowed from Greek.

The most important contribuion of the Gandhara school of Art was the evolution of an image of Buddha. But the figures of the Buddhist pantheon were modelled on identical charecters Graeco-Roman pantheon. Their dress was also designed in the style of a Roman toga. The sages of the Indian tradition like Yakshas, Garudas, Nagas and Vajrapani were modelled after Atlantes, Zeus, Eros. It is famously said, " the Gandhara artist had the hand of a Greek and the heart of an Indian".


Technique:

Gandhara school had the following outstanding technical charecteristics which distinguished it from other Indian schools.

1. The facial and physiognomical features have striking resemblence with those of Greece and Rome. Wavy hair, transperency of the drapery show unmistakable hellinistic influence.
2. Gandhara Art paid minute attention to moulding human body in a realistic manner, especially the muscles and moustaches.
3. Gandhara sculptures are richly carved with ornaments.

Best specimens of Gandhara art are from Jaulianand Dharmarajika Stupa at Taxila, and Haddar near Jalalabad. Apart from sculpture, Gandhara art is visible in architecture. Ruins of Buddhist structures in the vicinity of Peshawar, Rawalpindi and valley of Swat testify to the excellence of Gandhara architecture. Gandhara architecture continued to flourish even 2 centuries after the Kushan period. In the 4th Century AD, the Chinese pilgrim Fahian noticed a large number of monasteries in Gandhara region.

The barbarious Hunas under the leadership of Mihirgula destroyed nearly 1,600 stupas. After this fatal blow, Gandhara art virtually disappeared.