The Art of South and Southeast The Art of South and Southeast Asia Before 1200Asia Before 1200

South and Southeast AsiaSouth and Southeast Asia

Religion is the main Religion is the main influence on art during this influence on art during this periodperiodBuddhism and Hinduism Buddhism and Hinduism are the religions of this are the religions of this time; often coexistingtime; often coexistingSculpture and architecture Sculpture and architecture became the predominant became the predominant art formsart formsSensuous deities Sensuous deities decorated temples and decorated temples and monasteriesmonasteriesMore Buddhist influenced More Buddhist influenced art still exists today than art still exists today than does Hindu art. does Hindu art.

Buddhism and Its BackgroundBuddhism and Its Background

Buddha (the Enlightened Buddha (the Enlightened One) was the original One) was the original founder of Buddhism founder of Buddhism The religion focuses on The religion focuses on meditation, being meditation, being enlightened, and enlightened, and searching for knowledge searching for knowledge Buddha preached about Buddha preached about the Wheel of the Law and the Wheel of the Law and the Four Noble Truths the Four Noble Truths (both of which are (both of which are influential in artwork of influential in artwork of this period) this period)

Robed Male FigureRobed Male Figure

From Mohenjo-dara, From Mohenjo-dara, Pakistan, ca. 2000 – Pakistan, ca. 2000 – 1900 BCE1900 BCE

A characteristic of A characteristic of early Indus sculpture early Indus sculpture was its small form. was its small form.

Sculpture was Sculpture was influenced by the elite influenced by the elite class and political class and political leaders. leaders.

Lion CapitalLion Capital

Polished sandstone, ca. Polished sandstone, ca. 250 BCE250 BCECapitals such as this were Capitals such as this were highly decorated highly decorated sculptural architecture sculptural architecture characteristic of this characteristic of this period. period. These capitals were These capitals were displayed throughout the displayed throughout the Maurya Dynasty during Maurya Dynasty during Ashoka’s reign. Ashoka’s reign. The Wheel of the Law The Wheel of the Law displayed symbolize the displayed symbolize the king’s divine authority.king’s divine authority.

Great StupaGreat Stupa

From Sanchi, India, third From Sanchi, India, third century BCE to first century BCE to first century CEcentury CEMonument that housed Monument that housed religious relicsreligious relicsRelief sculpture was Relief sculpture was displayed on the outer displayed on the outer architecturearchitectureConsists of many Consists of many buildings constructed buildings constructed over the centuries over the centuries including the viharas and including the viharas and the chaitya halls the chaitya halls

YakshiYakshi

Detail of eastern gateway Detail of eastern gateway of the Great Stupa; mid-of the Great Stupa; mid-first century BCE to early first century BCE to early first century CEfirst century CE

Goddesses that Goddesses that personified fertility and personified fertility and vegetationvegetation

Scantily clad, sensuous Scantily clad, sensuous women used as relief women used as relief sculpture sculpture

Worshipped throughout Worshipped throughout India India

Standing YakshaStanding Yaksha

From the Maurya periodFrom the Maurya period

Yakshas are the male Yakshas are the male equivalent of yakshisequivalent of yakshis

Characteristics include Characteristics include males depicted as males depicted as powerful, robust, broad powerful, robust, broad shoulders, and open, shoulders, and open, staring eyesstaring eyes

Buddha statues often Buddha statues often resembled yakshas but resembled yakshas but differ in that they are differ in that they are clothed in a monk’s robeclothed in a monk’s robe

Canonical Buddha StatueCanonical Buddha Statue

Under the Guptas artists Under the Guptas artists formed a canonical figure formed a canonical figure for the Buddhafor the BuddhaMonastic robe covered Monastic robe covered both shouldersboth shouldersBuddha depicted with Buddha depicted with soft, full bodysoft, full bodySmooth, unadorned Smooth, unadorned surface that is symbolic of surface that is symbolic of Buddha’s spiritualityBuddha’s spiritualityEyes downcast in Eyes downcast in meditationmeditationImages of the Wheel of Images of the Wheel of the Law are displayedthe Law are displayed

Painted Caves of AjantaPainted Caves of Ajanta

Image of Bodhisattva Image of Bodhisattva Padmapani; wall painting Padmapani; wall painting in Cave 1, Ajanta, Indiain Cave 1, Ajanta, IndiaThese cave paintings are These cave paintings are some of the only Indian some of the only Indian paintings that remain paintings that remain todaytodayMethod of painting differs Method of painting differs from other cultures as from other cultures as they painted on dry they painted on dry plasterplasterResults proved to be less Results proved to be less durable than other fresco durable than other fresco style paintings in other style paintings in other culturescultures

HinduismHinduism

Like Buddhism, Hinduism is a polytheistic Like Buddhism, Hinduism is a polytheistic religionreligion

Sacrifice is essential as it is meant to Sacrifice is essential as it is meant to please deities and gain favor with themplease deities and gain favor with them

Hindu deities vary in form and naturesHindu deities vary in form and natures

Three most important deities are Shiva, Three most important deities are Shiva, Vishnu, and DeviVishnu, and Devi

Dancing ShivaDancing Shiva

Rock-cut relief in cave Rock-cut relief in cave temple; late sixth temple; late sixth centurycenturyShiva is often shown Shiva is often shown with multiple limbs with multiple limbs and/or heads as a and/or heads as a sign of his super-sign of his super-human naturehuman natureHindu deities often Hindu deities often represented as part represented as part human, part animalhuman, part animal

Shiva with three facesShiva with three faces

Shiva as Mahadeva; ca. Shiva as Mahadeva; ca. 550 – 575550 – 575AKA the “Great God” AKA the “Great God” Each face shows a Each face shows a different aspect of the different aspect of the deitydeityThe main frontal face The main frontal face displays Shiva’s quiet, displays Shiva’s quiet, balanced demeanorbalanced demeanorThe right face is a The right face is a creative femalecreative femaleThe left face a fierce, The left face a fierce, destructive maledestructive male

Vishnu asleep on the serpent AnataVishnu asleep on the serpent Anata

Detail of façade of Vishnu Detail of façade of Vishnu Temple; early sixth Temple; early sixth centurycenturyIn this relief Vishnu is In this relief Vishnu is meant to be dreaming the meant to be dreaming the universe into realityuniverse into realitySurrounding him are Surrounding him are other deities including his other deities including his wife Lakshmi and Shivawife Lakshmi and ShivaAlso included are Also included are personifications of personifications of Vishnu’s various powersVishnu’s various powers

Rock-cut TemplesRock-cut Temples

Mamallapuram, India; Mamallapuram, India; seventh centuryseventh century

Indian architects began to Indian architects began to carve freestanding carve freestanding temples from rocky temples from rocky outcroppingsoutcroppings

Very rare in relation to Very rare in relation to other cultures and other cultures and religionsreligions

Five temples were carved Five temples were carved out of one huge boulderout of one huge boulder

Rajarajeshvara TempleRajarajeshvara Temple

Thanjavur, India; ca. Thanjavur, India; ca. 10101010

Enormous, grand Enormous, grand temples were created temples were created during this periodduring this period

Dedicated to ShivaDedicated to Shiva

Exterior walls display Exterior walls display numerous reliefs in numerous reliefs in nichesniches

Vishvanatha TempleVishvanatha Temple

Khajuraho, India; ca. Khajuraho, India; ca. 10001000Vishvanatha is another Vishvanatha is another name for Shivaname for ShivaRising towers resemble Rising towers resemble rising foothills of the rising foothills of the Himalayas, home of Himalayas, home of ShivaShivaTemples are comparable Temples are comparable to actual mountain cave to actual mountain cave templestemplesDesigned with ideal Designed with ideal mathematical proportionsmathematical proportions

Shiva as NatarajaShiva as NatarajaBronze statue; ca. 1000Bronze statue; ca. 1000One of many examples of One of many examples of portable statues of deitiesportable statues of deitiesUse of hand gestures, Use of hand gestures, symbols, etc. all symbols, etc. all represent some deeper represent some deeper meaningmeaningThey viewed the statue They viewed the statue not as a symbol of the not as a symbol of the god, but as the actual god god, but as the actual god himselfhimselfHindus would care for Hindus would care for images such as this by images such as this by feeding, clothing, bathing, feeding, clothing, bathing, and taking it on outingsand taking it on outings

Death of the BuddhaDeath of the Buddha

Sri Lanka; ca. 11Sri Lanka; ca. 11thth to to 1212thth century centuryLargest sculpture in Largest sculpture in Southeast Asia Southeast Asia measuring 46 feet measuring 46 feet longlongBuddha’s cousin, and Buddha’s cousin, and chief disciple, stands chief disciple, stands at the left mourning at the left mourning his deathhis death

BorobudurBorobudur

Java, Indonesia; ca. 800Java, Indonesia; ca. 800

Colossal Buddhist Colossal Buddhist monumentmonument

Structure contains Structure contains millions of blocks of millions of blocks of volcanic stonevolcanic stone

More than 500 life-size More than 500 life-size Buddha imagesBuddha images

1000 relief panels1000 relief panels

1500 stupas1500 stupas

Angkor WatAngkor Wat

Angkor, Cambodia; 12Angkor, Cambodia; 12thth centurycentury

The largest of all Khmer The largest of all Khmer temple complexestemple complexes

Purpose was to associate Purpose was to associate the king with his personal the king with his personal god (Vishnu)god (Vishnu)

Five towers symbolize Five towers symbolize five peaks of Mount Merufive peaks of Mount Meru

Stone reliefs glorify Stone reliefs glorify VishnuVishnu

BayonBayon

Angkor Thom, Cambodia; Angkor Thom, Cambodia; ca. 1200ca. 1200

Unique in that the Unique in that the combination of circular combination of circular terraces, towers, and terraces, towers, and giant faces were usedgiant faces were used

The king turned from the The king turned from the Hindu traditions of his Hindu traditions of his ancestors to worshiping ancestors to worshiping the Buddhathe Buddha