The Buddhist Art of Gandhara: The Story of the Early School, its Birth, Growth and Decline c12.5

c12.5

With these prefatory remarks I now turn to some characteristic examples. The first of these to merit our notice is fig. 53—a small, unpretentious slab about 8 in. high. The six figures disposed in a single row are closely akin to those on several of the slabs discussed in the last chapter (e.g. figs. 40 and 41) and are clearly carrying on the Hellenistic tradition. Hellenistic, too, are their poses and the treatment of their drapery, with its graceful folds and careful definition. Unfortunately, this is one of the many sculptures that have been blackened and polished, so that the photograph gives little idea of the delicate workmanship. The scene portrayed has been identified by M. Foucher (A.G.-B.G. vol. I, p. 474, fig. 239) as the Presentation of the Jetavana Garden at Śrāvastī. Towards the left end of the relief stands the Buddha, distinguished by his halo, with a companion monk behind him. In front of the Buddha is the merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, with a water-vessel in his hand to symbolize the gift he is making, and behind him three more lay-worshippers, one of whom is holding a small object in his hand—possibly a bowl of coins for the purchase of the land. Assuming that M. Foucher is right, and I see no reason to doubt it, this relief affords a striking illustration of the wide gulf between Gandhāra and Indian art. The stock Indian version is much more realistic (loc. cit. p. 475, fig. 240). It shows us the Jetavana Garden with the Buddha (represented by his tree), Anāthapiṇḍada in front of him with a libation vessel in his hand, attendants engaged in covering the ground with coins, and even the bullock-cart which brought the coins and the two bullocks outspanned beside it. Compared with this, the Gandhāra version is dull and unimaginative, but it has the advantage of dignity and repose, qualities which in the long run were more suited to the development of a great and far-reaching ecclesiastical art.