BUDDHIST ART

Theories & Interpretations

• Began in India and has shared roots with Hinduism with concepts of rebirth and karma.

• Through trade routes, such as the Silk Road, Buddhism spread into other Asian regions and is now the dominant religion in China and Japan.

• Buddhism is not like Western religious worship practices where people gather together during the week to participate in regular worship services. Buddhism is a spiritual journey for the individual. Structures, temples, and pilgrimage sites were constructed to help aid a Buddhist follower to venerate, meditate, and honor Buddha's teachings. 

• Buddhist monks and monasteries play a critical role in preserving and leading exemplar spiritual lives, aligning with Buddhist thought. Communities rely on them to be the custodians of his teachings and are seen as esteemed members of society. They serve the community through charitable assistance as well as perform essential rites.

Style Characteristics

• Depictions of Buddha are central to all Buddhist art. Buddha does represent a actual person, but all figural representations of him are stylized and are more of a generic representation of what he signifys, not what he actually looked like.

• Features of Buddha often include a meditative sitting pose, a calm neutral expression w/ eyes looking downward, and hand gestures (mudra) to symbolize his teachings.

• Regionally, Buddha styles have emerged bringing different asthetics and nuances to the figural form (India, China, Japan, and Tibet).

• Stone, bronze, and wood are commonly used, although mural paintings and scrolls do depict Buddhist narrative themes.

• Stupas, pagodas, and temples with a Buddhist shrine are key in architectural forms and are designed to blend with the natural harmony and beauty of the environment.

• Many strcutures include sculptural relief narratives that depict the life of Buddha, illustrating moral lessons and virtures.