Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture c5.4

c5.4

Much has been written on this subject and the indebtedness of Indian art of the Mauryan period to old Persian art seems to be well established, though it is still doubtful to what extent early Persian art and Indian art and sculpture are indebted to Greek art.² So far as is known, sculptures or objects of art, the dates of which can be or have been determined accurately, belonging to the pre-Mauryan period have not been discovered yet. The Patna statues may be cited as specimens of pre-Mauryan sculpture, but it is really impossible to judge the artistic value of these statues even if they are recognised to be specimens of pre-Mauryan sculpture since they are the only specimens, earlier in date, than Mauryan sculpture, and thus insufficient as a basis on which to frame any reliable conclusions.