Difference between Gandhara School of Art and

Mathura School of Art

1. Gandhara School of Art:
The next important stage in the growth of art is associated with the name of Gandhara in the north-west. By
this time the worship of the image of Buddha had become common. After the Greek invasions and during the
period of the Kushanas, many artists from West Asia had settled down in the north-west of India. They were
deeply influenced by the Graeco-Roman Art. Mahayana Buddhism encouraged image worship. The Kushana
kings, particularly Kanishka, encouraged the Gandhara artists.
2. Mathura School of Arts:
The artists at Mathura used spotted red sandstone as the material for making images and statues. The early
images of the Buddha (the one who has attained enlightenment or supreme knowledge) and the Bodhisattva
(the one who is still a candidate for enlightenment) are happy, fleshy figures with little spirituality about them.
The creation of the images of the Buddha was a conspicuous feature of the Mathura School of Art but they also
made statues of Jain Tirthankaras and Brahmanical gods and goddesses. Besides they also handled secular
subjects.

Here are your brief notes on Gandhara style of Art
JYOTI
The reign of Kaniska also constituted a brilliant egochin the field of art and architecture. The great relic tower of
Buddha at Peshwar was famous all over the Buddhist world.
Agesilus the great engineer supervised the construction of this tower which was made of wood and iron and was
about 400 feet high. Monasteries were, can strut at Kashmir, Mathura and Taxsila. Mathura was famous as a
centre of remarkable a sculpture during the right Kaniska. During this period art was considerably influenced
by religion.
After the rise of Mahayana Buddhism numerous statues of Buddha were made for workship. Even sculptors and
artists from other countries collaborated with the Indian sculptors to make the images of Buddha and
Bodhistava. Kanishka issued different types of coins.
During the reign of Kaniska of Gandhara a new school of a developed because of the impact of Greek or
Hellenisitc art. The art which also famous as Greco-Buddhist art.
The Headless statute of Kaniska discovered from Mathura and the images of Buddha found of Saranath are the
examples of vedian style of art. But at Gandhara the art of image making was influenced by Greek to achieve.
The Gandhara sculptors carved stone images of Buddha and Boddhi stuva initiating the style of Greeks.
The forms of Greek art were applied to Buddhist subjects. Images of Buddha appear in the likeness of Apollo.
The Saksha and Kurvera is posed in the fashion of the phidian zeus and son on.
The dail ary follows Hellensitic modes. So at Gandhara the Greek technique of art was applied to the subjects
drawn from Mahayan Buddhism. The Gandhara art reveals the Greek impact upon Indian culture.
Development of Art:
The rulers of the Kushan dynasty were not only great conquerors but also patrons of art. Kaniska took keen
interest is the art of architecture.
He laid the foundation of the towns of Prushpur, Kanislikapur etc. and built many beautiful buildings in these
towns. He constructed a beautiful tower made of wood. A beautiful Buddhist Vihara was also built near this
tower. The Muslim historian Alberuni was very much influenced to see this Vihara.
Besides this, the stupas and the viharas were built by the stupas and the viharas were built by Kushan ruler and
is a large number. This fact was also supported by the Chinese traveler Hieun-Tsan.
The Gandhar School of sculpture:
origin of the Gandhara art was the most significant feature the growth of the Kushan period. The territory of
Gandhara was the main centre of this art. It was situated and the North West frontier of India. That is why; it
was called the Gandhara School of art.
The new theory of Buddhism, Maha Janism was responsible for the growth of this art. The province of
Gandhara was the centre of this new theory of Buddhism. This province was so situated as to be the meeting
ground of the Indian, Chinese, Iranian and Greek Roman cultures.
Naturally the art of Gandhara was also influenced by these foreign cultures especially the Greek Roman culture.
Infact, the Gandhara style originated in Bacteria and Parthia under the Greek rulers.
In this art, the states and images of Lord Buddha were constructed according to the Greek technique but the
idea, personalities and spirit were Indian.
That is why the Gandhara art is also known as the lndo-Greek art or Graeco-Buddhist art. According to Dr. R.
Majumdar the Gandhara artist had the hands of a Greek and the heart of an Indian."
So then new form of Buddhism was the main theme of the Gandhara Art. The full-size statues of Buddha and
the images of the Kusham rulers were produced by employing this new style of art.
These statues images were made of the black stone. The different parts of the body, especially muscles and
moustaches were shown in natural setting.
Besides this the clothes, hair style, decoration and ornamentation clearly indicate the influence of the Greek
style. The statues of Buddha appear similar to the statues of Greek God, Apollos; actually, the Gandhara art is a
lively commentary on the life and deeds of Lord Buddha.

Give an account of the Mathura School of Art &
Sculpture in India
RESHMA RAI
Mathura, the converging point of many trade routes, was not only an important prosperous city, but also a great
centre of art. It did not see a meteoric rise as an art centre but it witnessed a continuous development. The
sculptures of Mathura style and workmanship have been found in widely separated regions.
Although the early phase of artistic activity at Mathura is evidenced by a few stray specimens linked with the
Bharhut and Sanchi styles, the great period begins with the Christian era and its most prolific output coincided
with the Kushanas. Here we first notice the prolific use of images representing divinities in which Buddha
played a dominant part. The earlier concept of a relief composition was of very little importance and the main
interest centred upon the human figure boldly carved and set against the plain surface of the ground.
The concepts of continuous narration gave way to the ideas of the grouping of the chief and less important
figures determined by iconographic ideals. The image proper is shaped in the form and content ofyaksha and is
characterised by massive earthliness and robustness of form and volume. One example comes from Kosam
(Kaushambi) installed in the second year of Kanishka's reign. Two such images dedicated by Friar Bala in the
third year of Kanishka's reign come from Sarnath and Sahet- Mahet (Shravasti).
All these images are executed in the mottled red sandstone of Sikri and were of Mathura origin. Each of them
represents the Buddha in a standing pose with the left hand held near the hip and the right hand raised up to
the shoulder in abhaya-mudra. The upper part of the body is only half covered. All these images are conceived
in strictly frontal aspect. The features are expressive of enormous energy and mundane force belonging to this
world and not of transcendental nature.
In certain aspects the Mathura artists show awareness of the Gandharan art tradition. This awareness is
evidenced by the drapery, curls on the head (Mathura heads are shaved), full eyes and lips with sharp cut and
heavy upper eye-lid. However, the influence is restricted to motifs only and practically nothing of technique and
style.
Certain groups of Mathura sculptures, all dealing with strong drinks and inebriation, have been classed as
Bacchanalian. These seem to have been inspired by foreign subjects. An example is the so- called 'Heracles and
the lion' composition. We have a few large-size portrait statues of Kanishka, Vima Kadphises, and Chastana.
The composition shows Central Asian or Scythian inspiration and remains a transient phase in the history of
Mathura art form. A particular kind of Mathura sculpture is represented by votive slabs known as ayagapatas,
which were erected in Jaina shrines for the adoration of the arhats the so-called 'Holi' reliefs lire the
representative example of this form.
Amohini relief and the ayagapata from Kankali Tila belong to this group. Kankali Tila was a predominently Jain
site at Mathura. It has yielded a few representations of the Tirthankaras. Of them Parshvanatha is recognizable
from his canopy of snake hoods and Rishabhanatha from locks of hair falling on his shoulders.
Apart from Buddhist and Jain representations we have a few Brahmanical images belonging to Mathura school.
The earliest representations are of Shiva, Lakshmi, Surya and Samkarshana or Balaram.
During the Kushana period, Karttikeya, Vishnu, Saraswati, Kuber, Parvati, Ganesh, Skanda and Naga images
were carved. Shiva is usually represented in the form of chaturmukha linga. Gaja-lakshmi with Kuber,
Vasundhara, Katyayani, Mahishasur-mardini, the Sapt-matrikas. Brahma, Surya, Agni and Ayudhapurushas
are also depicted.