Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c7.139

c7.139

But that ideal was never realised in Gandharan art, certainly not in the early examples directly attributable to Græco-Roman influence. The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of this period are soulless puppets, debased types of the Greek and Roman pantheon, posing uncomfortably in the attitudes of Indian asceticism. Not even in the best type of Gandhara do we find the spirituality, the worshipfulness, of the true Indian ideal. The taint of commercialism, the insincerity of an art created by Court patronage rather than by strong [Figure: BUDDHA WORSHIPPED BY INDRA (Gandharan Sculpture from Loriyân Tangai)]