The SUNGA ART of Mathura, best

expressed in its sculptures, belong to the

pure old tradition of Bharhut and Sanchi. p e o o of
Sunga work shows influence of floral
ll i h i l scroll patterns in their sculptures.
It reflects more of the mind, culture,
tradition and ideology.
The sculpture is not in bold relief.
Both the male and female figures are adorned with a large
number of ornaments. f
DRAPERY is somewhat heavy and no light as is the case
with the sculptures of later periods with the sculptures of later periods.
Normally the eyeballs are conspicuous
b i b by their absence.
Female figures are seen decorative their
headgears with Wreaths and
Garlands, beads and costly cloth.
The males appear with the special type of fluffy
turbans generally decorated with the crest
above.
Absence of the figures of GAUTAMA BUDDHA
is most noteworthy in Sunga art is most noteworthy in Sunga art.
Lord has been represented with different
b l h h h d b l symbols, such as stupa , three thronged symbol
(Triratna) , turban (Usnisa) , dimond throne
(Vajrasan), begging bowl , wheel of law and
others.
Buddhism:
Buddhism is a spiritual contact
Buddhism:
Buddhism is a spiritual contact
It is originated in the teaching of prince
Siddharth Gautauma.Hes the historical founder of
Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama achieved
enlightenment sitting
d i l t k th dhi t i under a pipal tree. Now known as the Bodhi tree in
Bodhgaya, India. Gautama, from then on, was known
as "The Enlightened One as The Enlightened One
The sunga period was marked by the rise of important g p y f p
buddhist monuments at sanchi, bharuth and other
places in the nineteenth century.
It comprises the large part of the decoration of the stone
f railing and gateways of Buddhist It is originally
started under the king Asoka.
The sunga period was established by pushyamitra The sunga period was established by pushyamitra
sunga he mistreated the Buddhism, the religion of
sukymani and its art is in one of the great periods. ky o e of he g e pe o
Sanchi sculptures depicting events of the buddhas
life, legends of his previous births and the scenes
important to early Buddhism ( when emperor Asokas
vi it t B dhi t ) visit to Bodhi tree)
The railing at bahruth has been craved with bas-reliefs
depicting the various episodes of Buddha in jataka depicting the various episodes of Buddha in jataka
stories in the absence of Buddha.
Buddha is represented throughout in symbolic form
b a h l b a t f t i t B dhi t by a wheel , by an empty footprints or Bodhi tree.
B A LIFE OF BUDDHA:~
Mayadevi
i h f ddh Birth of Buddha
Leaving the palace
Enlighten
First sermon- at Sarnath
Sarasvati miracle
Subjugation of Nalagiri
It is the name of one of the sacred books of the It is the name of one of the sacred books of the
Buddhist. Jataka contains an account of Gautama
Buddha .
The book jataka consist of more The book jataka consist of more
than 500poems, arranged roughly
by increasing number of verses.
Jataka tales reflects the Buddhist morals, J k e ef e e o ,
effects and principles.
Yaksha is the counterpart of the female yakshini Y p f f y
and the both attend to kubera,
the hindu god of wealth They the hindu god of wealth. They
both look treasure hidden in the
th bl th t f f i i earth resemble that of fairies.
Yakshinis are often depicted as
beautiful and voluptuous with wide
hips, narrow waist, broad shoulder
and exaggerated spherical breasts.
There are total 36 yakshinis.
Terracotta or burnt clay was the e o o y e
common mans medium for making
works of art in India as else where. Sunga period
plaques were produced from single moulds. The p q p f g
themes chosen were sometimes every days toys but
very often they
included Mother goddess , Lakshmi g
yaksha.
Synoptic tradition of narration: y p f
The synoptic narrative depicts a
single scene in which a
character or characters are character or characters are
portrayed multiple times within
a frame to convey that multiple
actions are taking place. actions are taking place.
Thi a e a e e e f eve t t be lea ithi the This causes a sequence of events to be unclear within the
narrative. Synoptic narratives typically provide visual
cues that convey the sequence , but still might be
difficult to decipher for those un familiar with the story.
Barhut is a location in Satna district
in Madhya Pradesh, central India , in Madhya Pradesh, central India ,
known for famous relics from a Buddhist stupa. The Bharut
l t t f th a li t a l f I dia a d sculpture represent some of the earliest examples of India and
Buddhist art
The barhut stupa have been established by the mauryan
king Ashoka in the 3
rd
century BCE, but many works of art
were apparently added during the Sunga period
The ruined stupa is still a Barhut , the gate ways and
railings were dismantled and reassembled at Kolkata
museum. They contain numerous birth stories of the
Buddhas previous life or Jataka lives.
Anionic phase of Buddhist art , the Buddha's only p f , y
represented two symbols such as the Dharma wheel , the
Bodhi tree Bodhi tree
STYLE:~
The style represents the earliest phase of Indian art ,
d ll h t d i t d i th di and all characters are depicted wearing the Indian
dhoti expect for one foreigner , thought to be an Indo-
Greek soldier with Buddhist symbolism. The Barhut
a vi li htl ea lie tha the Sa hi a vi carvings slightly earlier than the Sanchi carvings
and the earlier Ajanta frescos. An unusual feature
of Barhut panels is inclusion if text in the narrative
panels often identifying the individuals panels , often identifying the individuals.
BARHUT SCULPTURES:~
Early Indian sculpture of the Sunga period that
decorated the great stupa , or relic mound , of Barhut , in g p f
Madhya Pradesh state. It has been largely destroyed , and most
of the existing remains railings and entrance gateways are of the existing remains , railings and entrance gateways are
now in the Indian museum in Kolkata.
:
Stupas were built of stones or bricks to commemorate important Stupas were built of stones or bricks to commemorate important
events or mark important places associated with Buddhism .
The best examples of stupas are those at
Amravati,Sanchi,Barhut and Gaya.
Sanchi is a risen district of Madhya Pradesh is famous for its Sanchi is a risen district of Madhya Pradesh is famous for its
magnificent Buddhist monuments and edifices.
The t a b ilt b A h ka a da a ed d i the b eak The stupa built by Ashoka was damaged during the break-up
of the Maurya empire. In the second century BC during the rule
of the Sungas it was completely reconstructed.
Religious activity led to the improvement and enlargement of
the stupa and stone railing was built around it.
The stupa has a large hemispherical dome which is flat at the top , The stupa has a large hemispherical dome which is flat at the top ,
and crowned by triple umbrella or chatra on a pedestal
surrounded by a square railing or karmika.
It i d th t l b t l v d TORANS h b ilt b It is presumed that elaborately carved TORANS where built by
ivory or metal workers in the first century BC.
The last to the stupa was made during the early 4
th
century AD. p y y
The first toran gateway to be built is the one at the principal
entrance on the south each gate way has two square pillars entrance on the south.each gate way has two square pillars.
Crowning each pillar on. All four sides are four elephants , four
lions and dwarfs.
f h lif f ddh d h k l Scenes from the life of Buddha and the JatakaTales are
sculptured on the gateways,pillars,uprights and cross-bars of
the railings. g
Chatri
Harmika
Anda
Toran Toran
Drum
Vedika
Dff b M S
MAURYAN ART SUNGA ART
Difference between Mauryan and Sunga art:
MAURYAN ART
1) In this art sculptures were
more polished
SUNGA ART
1) Where as in this sculptures
they were less polished
2)The sculptors were skilled.
3) The sculptures were more
2) The sculptors were less
skilled.
3) The sculptures were less
3) The sculptures were more
naturalistic.
4) They had less of
3) The sculptures were less
naturalistic.
4) They had more of
ame tati
ornamentation.
5) This sculptures had more
curves.
ornamentation.
5) This sculptures had mostly
straight lines.
Difference between kushanas & sungas
Kushanas
Sungas
Difference between kushanas & sungas
1) Sculptures were polished
1)sculptures were not as
polished as kushanas
2)portraitic tradition were not
2)Portraitic tradition was
seen
2)por r r d o ere o
seen
)S i li ti t
3)specialization was seen
3)Specialisation were not
seen.
4)Figures were not refined
5)Low relief sculptures
4)Figures are more refined
5)M li f l t
5)Low relief sculptures
5)More lief sculptures.