Sculpture

Sculptures often depicted narratives from Buddhist texts, such as the Vessantara Jataka, illustrating moral and spiritual themes through visual storytelling.

The text introduces the concept of wandering storytellers using scrolls with pictures to narrate stories. It then discusses a sculpture at Sanchi initially interpreted as a rural scene but later identified by historians as a depiction of the Vessantara Jataka, a story about a generous prince. Historians use textual evidence to interpret sculptures.

9.2 Symbols of Worship:

Art historians needed familiarity with Buddha’s hagiographies to understand Buddhist sculpture. Early sculptors represented Buddha’s presence through symbols like the empty seat, stupa, and wheel, which symbolized events in Buddha’s life. Understanding such symbols requires knowledge of the traditions of the artists.

9.3 Popular Traditions:

Sanchi’s sculptures include images not directly related to Buddhism, like women swinging from the gateway, identified as representations of shalabhanjika from Sanskrit tradition. This indicates the integration of pre-Buddhist beliefs into Buddhist art. Animal depictions at Sanchi, such as elephants, served as symbols of human attributes and enriched the visual narrative.

Paintings from the Past:

The text discusses cave paintings from Ajanta, depicting Jataka stories, courtly life, and festivals. It highlights a motif of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants, possibly depicting Maya or the goddess Gajalakshmi. The serpent motif found on pillars suggests influence from popular traditions.

Sculptures often depicted narratives from Buddhist texts, such as the Vessantara Jataka, illustrating moral and spiritual themes through visual storytelling. We have just seen how sculptures were removed from stupas and transported all the way to Europe. This happened partly because those who saw them considered them to be beautiful and valuable, and wanted to keep them for themselves.

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