South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > India
* Buddhist Art
• Buddhist art in India has two phases: the Pre-Iconic phase
where the Buddha was represented by abstract symbols
instead of anthropomorphic figures; and the Iconic phase
during which representations of the Buddha in human form
developed for the first time.
• There are two separate strands of Buddhist art in Asia: the
Northern Branch, which encompasses Central Asia, China,
Japan, and Korea where Mahayana Buddhism is practiced;
and the Southern Branch, which encompasses Sri Lanka and
Southeast Asia where Theravada Buddhism is practiced.
• The initial impact of Islam on Buddhist art was generally
destructive, as Muslim invaders destroyed many Buddhist
monasteries and artifacts. By the end of the 12th century,
Buddhism in India remained only in select regions of the
country.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Southeast Asia
•Thailand
•Burma
•Vietnam
•Indonesia
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Thailand
• Thai sculptures depict images of the Buddha and other
characters from Buddhist and Hindu mythology, while Thai
paintings comprise book illustrations and painted
ornamentation of temples and palaces.
• From the 1st to the 7th centuries, art in Thailand was
influenced by direct contact with Indian traders and the
expansion of the Mon Kingdom, leading to the creation of
Hindu and Buddhist art inspired by Indian traditions.
• The history of Buddhist art in Thailand until the 18th century
can be divided into three broad phases: the Dwaravati period
(6th - 11th centuries), the Sukhothai (13th - 15th centuries)
period, and the Ayutthaya period (14th - 18th centuries).
Bronze walking Buddha,
Thailand, Sukhothai
kingdom, 15th century
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Thailand (cont)
• The Sukhothai period witnessed the development of four
classic postures of the Thai Buddha, namely, walking,
standing, sitting, and reclining. Later Thai art was highly
influenced by Sukhothai images and continued to imitate
these postures.
• The most common form of Buddhist architecture seen in
Thailand is the wat or monastery temple, which is
characterized by multiple-tiered roofs.
Bronze walking Buddha,
Thailand, Sukhothai
kingdom, 15th century
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Burma
• Buddhist art and architecture first began to flourish in Burma
under the Pyu city-states (2nd century BC - mid-11th century
AD). The Pyu imported Buddhism from India and built solid
stupas that served as inspiration for later Burmese temples.
• Under the Pagan Empire (849 - 1297 AD), two types of
Buddhist temples developed: the stupa-style solid temple
and the gu-style hollow temple.
• Two innovations in temple architecture of the Pagan period
are pointed arches and vaulted chambers, and the
pentagonal temple plan.
• There are three popular styles of Buddha images in Burma:
the Ava style, the Mandalay style, and the Shan style.
Pagan plains today
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Vietnam
• The art of Northern Vietnam was strongly influenced by
Chinese domination (111 BC - 939 AD), reflecting Confucian
and Mahayana Buddhist traditions. Southern and central
Vietnam were a part of the kingdom of Champa (ca. 500 1500 AD), and produced Indianized Hindu-Buddhist art.
• During the millennium of Chinese domination (111 BC to 939
AD), artists in the north of Vietnam began to apply newlylearned Chinese techniques to art, specifically ceramics, in
conjunction with art created using traditional indigenous
methods, including advanced bronze-casting.
• The period of rule under the Lý Dynasty (1009 - 1225) is
commonly considered a golden age in Vietnamese art, and
its ceramics became famous across Southeast Asia and the
Far East.
Temple of Literature, Main
Gate, Hanoi
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Vietnam (cont)
• Champa was an Indic civilization that flourished along the
coasts of central and southern Vietnam between 500 and
1500 AD, lying on important trade routes linking India, China,
and the Indonesian islands.
• The artistic legacy of Champa consists of sandstone
sculptures, both free-standing and in relief, and brick
temples. Cham art and architecture synthesized from
Hinduism, Buddhism, and different indigenous cults.
• The art and architecture of Champa was at its peak between
the 7th and 10th centuries, after which it fell into a state of
gradual decline. Worn out by external conflict, the kingdom
fell in 1471 AD.
Temple of Literature, Main
Gate, Hanoi
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Indonesia
• Indonesia has a particularly rich tradition of Hindu-Buddhist
sculpture and architecture, and was strongly influenced by
India from the 1st century AD onward.
• Buddhist art in Indonesia reached its golden era under the
Sailendra dynasty of the Sri Vijaya Empire between the 8th
and 13th centuries.
• Sculpture flourished between the 8th and 10th centuries AD
in Java and Bali, taking the form of free-standing statues or
relief sculptures incorporated into temples. They are
characterized by their delicacy and serenity of expression.
Bronze Maitreya statue, South
Sumatra, Indonesia, c. 9th10th century.
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE > Southeast Asia
* Indonesia (cont)
• A classic example of the architecture of Sri Vijaya is the 8thcentury Borobudur temple, the largest Buddhist temple in the
world.
• Indonesian art enjoyed a golden age under the Majapahit
Empire (1293 - 1500) during which a huge number of HinduBuddhist brick temples were built. They have tall, slender-
roofed red brick gates, a strong geometrical quality and a
sense of verticality achieved through many horizontal lines.
• By the fifteenth century, Islam had become the dominant
religion in Indonesia and local mosques reflected both
indigenous and Islamic influences. They lacked the Islamic
dome and had tall timber-tiered roofs similar to the pagodas
of Balinese Hindu temples.
Bronze Maitreya statue, South
Sumatra, Indonesia, c. 9th10th century.
*Appendix
*Key Terms
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
advent Coming; coming to; approach; arrival.
*
balustrade A row of balusters topped by a rail, serving as an open parapet, as along the edge of a
balcony, terrace, bridge, staircase, or the eaves of a building.
*
bodhisattva In Buddhism, an enlightened being - existing beyond the Western scientific thought of
physical reality - resembling the Western notion of angels, but with a wealth of its own nuances and
expectations.
*
candi Hindu and Buddhist temples and sanctuaries of Indonesia, mostly built during the 8th to 15th
centuries; however, ancient non-religious structures such as gates, urban ruins, and bathing places are
often also called "candi".
*
corbel A structural member jutting out of a wall to carry a superincumbent weight.
aesthetic Concerned with beauty, artistic impact, or appearance.
amalgam A combination of different things
animism A belief that spirits inhabit some or all classes of natural objects or phenomena.
anthropomorphic Having the form or attributes of a human
anthropomorphic Having the form or attributes of a human
atelier A workshop or studio meant for an artist, designer, or fashion house
aureole Any luminous or colored ring that encircles something; often a circle of light or halo
surrounding a deity.
*Key Terms
*
*
*
*
diaspora A dispersed group, such as the Jews outside of the land of Israel.
*
finial Any decorative fitting at the peak of a gable, or on the top of a flagpole, fence post or staircase
newel post.
*
*
foliated Having a structure of thin layers.
*
gopuram A monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a temple, especially in Southern
India.
*
*
Hephthalite Members of a central Asian nomadic confederation of the 5th and 6th centuries.
*
iconography The branch of art history which studies the identification, description, and the
interpretation of the content of images.
*
idiom An artistic style (for example, in art, architecture, or music); an instance of such a style.
dissension Strong disagreement; a contention or quarrel; discord.
embossed With raised letters or images on the surface.
finial Any decorative fitting at the peak of a gable, or on the top of a flagpole, fence post or staircase
newel post.
frieze Any sculptured or richly ornamented band in a building or, by extension, in rich pieces of
furniture.
iconoclastic Characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions; of or pertaining to
iconoclasm.
*Key Terms
*
jataka tales A voluminous body of literature native to India concerning the previous births (jāti) of the
Buddha, in both human and animal form.
*
lattice A flat panel constructed with widely-spaced crossed thin strips of wood or other material,
commonly used as a garden trellis.
*
*
lyricism Depth of feeling and imagination
*
mandapa (south Indian architecture) A pillared hall or porch fronting a Hindu temple. It may be
attached or detached from the building.
*
*
*
mausoleum A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.
*
*
monolithic Formed of a single massive rock or stone.
*
*
om A sacred, mystical syllable used to invoke God in Hindu prayer and meditation.
mandala Any ritualistic geometric design, symbolic of the universe, used as an aid to meditation,
particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism.
miniature a small, highly detailed painting or portrait
Mon A people living primarily in Myanmar (also known as Burma) and Thailand; one of the earliest
peoples to reside in Southeast Asia, and responsible for the spread of Buddhism in Burma and Thailand.
mudra Any of several formal symbolic hand postures used in classical dance of India and in Hindu and
Buddhist iconography.
pagoda An Asian religious building, especially a multistory Buddhist tower, erected as a shrine or
temple.
*Key Terms
*
*
patrilineal Pertaining to descent through male lines.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
relief A type of artwork in which shapes or figures protrude from a flat background.
*
*
ubiquitous Being everywhere at once: omnipresent.
pietra dura Hard and fine stones in general, as used for inlay and distinguished from the softer stones
used in building.
shikhara The tower surmounting a Hindu temple.
sinicization To make Chinese in character or to change or modify by Chinese influence.
stupa A dome-shaped Buddhist monument, used to house Buddhist relics.
Stylized represented according to some convention, rather than in a realistic or literal manner
syncretism The reconciliation or fusion of different systems or beliefs (or the attempt at such fusion).
Tirthankara Jain term for a person who achieves enlightenment through asceticism and who then
becomes a role-model teacher for those seeking spiritual guidance.
yaksha A spirit that watches over the treasures hidden in the earth and tree roots.
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Chandikesvara Temple in Hampi
Pillars of Vijayanagar temples are often engraved with images of yali, or hippogriffs.
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South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Shwezigon Pagoda
Completed in 1102 AD, this is one of the earliest examples of Pagan stupa-style Buddhist temples. It is marked by a solid, bell-shaped stupa.
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Wikipedia. "Shwezigon Pagoda." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shwezigon_Pagoda View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Temple of Po Klaung Garai, Phanh Rang, Vietnam
The profile of this 13th century temple includes all the buildings typical of a Cham temple. From left to right one can see the kalan, the attached
mandapa, the saddle-shaped kosgrha, and the gopura.
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Wikipedia. "Art of Champa." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_of_Champa View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
The Dancers' Pedestal of Tra Kieu
10th century Cham sculpture, sandstone. The figures are a dancing apsara (Hindu celestial nymph) and a gandharva (Hindu male nature spirit)
musician.
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on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
The Great Stupa at Sanchi
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is the oldest stone structure of its kind in India and was commissioned by the Maurya emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd
century BC. It contains the relics of the Buddha and is decorated with fine examples of pre-iconic Buddhist sculpture.
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Wikipedia. "Sanchi." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanchi View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Temple of Literature, Main Gate, Hanoi
Built in 1070, this Confucian temple housed the Imperial Academy, Vietnam's first national university. The temple layout is similar to that of the
temple at Qufu, Shandong, Confuscius' birthplace. It covers an area of over 54,000 square meters, including the surrounding Lake of Literature, a
park and the interior courtyards, which are enclosed by a brick wall. In front of the Great Gate are four tall pillars. On either side of the pillars are
two stelae or stone tablets commanding horsemen to dismount.
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Wikipedia. "Temple of Literature, Hanoi." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Literature,_Hanoi View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Borobudur's main stupa, Java, Indonesia.
The main Stupa crowning the Borobudur built in the 8th century by the Sailendra dynasty. The uppermost terrace has rows of bell-shaped stupas
and Buddha images. The main stupa itself is empty, symbolizing perfect enlightenment.
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Wikipedia. "Stupa Borobudur." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stupa_Borobudur.jpg View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Bronze Maitreya statue, South Sumatra, Indonesia, c. 9th-10th century.
This bronze Bodhisattva Maitreya is an example of Sri Vijayan sculpture. The statue's distinctive crown incorporates a stupa in its design.
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Wikipedia. "Sri Vijaya." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Vijaya View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Footprint of the Buddha
Footprint of the Buddha. 1st century, Gandhara.
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Wikimedia. Public domain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Buddha-Footprint.jpeg/344px-Buddha-Footprint.jpeg View on
Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Pagan plains today
A view of the stupas in Bagan (formerly Pagan), the capital of the Pagan Empire.
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South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Gandhara Buddha
Representation of the Buddha in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, 1st century AD.
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Wikimedia. Public domain http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Gandhara_Buddha_%2528tnm%2529.jpeg/361pxGandhara_Buddha_%2528tnm%2529.jpeg View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Mandalay-style Buddha statue, Shwedagon pagoda, Yangon, Myammar
This gilded statue of the Buddha has naturally slanted brows, slanted eyes and round hair bun characteristic of the Shan style.
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Wikipedia. "Buddha 00004." GNU FDL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Buddha_00004.JPG View on Boundless.com
South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Bronze walking Buddha, Thailand, Sukhothai kingdom, 15th century
The Sukhothai period witnessed the development of Buddha images in a walking position.
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Wikimedia. "Bronze walking Buddha, Thailand, Sukhothai kingdom, 15th century, Honolulu Academy of Arts." Public domain
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South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Standing Buddha, Thailand, Ayutthaya kingdom, 16th century
Gilded sculptures of the Buddha became popular during the Ayutthaya period.
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South and Southeast Asia After 1200 CE
Head of Buddha, Dvaravati kingdom
8th - 9th century. The continuous eyebrow and the thick lips are characteristic of the Amaravati style patronized by Dwaravati.
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Wikimedia. "Thai head of Buddha, Dvaravati kingdom, 8th-9th century, Dayton." Public domain
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