Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c4.22

c4.22

Chap. XI, Gandhāra Art, besides presenting the available evidence of the Stūpas and sculptures on a vide canvas from the Indus to the Oxus or Taxila to Kunduz takes into account the important problems of origins with respect to its Indian and Hellenistic motifs, which developed in an eclectic atmosphere of free give-and-take resulting in an unparalleled creativity of works of art and statues and images of high interest and value. In addition to the Buddhist specimens, Brāhmanical sculptures also were being produced in Gandhāra as images of Śiva, Viṣṇu, Sūrya, Kārttikeya, etc. A brief evidence of the art-finds at Termez on the Oxus exposed by the French and Russian delegations has also been included in this chapter. Fuller notices of this material are still awaited. The theory of the origin of the Buddha image in Gandhāra has been eking out without any substantial support and should be laid to rest once for all. The testimony of the Divyāvadāna as to the first formulation of the Buddha image at Mathura points clearly to the ancient tradition about this matter. There is no reason to belittle the achievements of the art of Gandhāra by virtue of its long creative history, prolific nature and originality of themes and its capacity to absorb the diverse influences pouring from India, Iran, Graeco-Roman world and Central Asia.