Short essay on the Sculpture of Gupta age

Although the rule of the Guptas did not outlive the fifth century, as a cultural epoch the Gupta period may be said to have extended from the 4th to the close of the sixth century.

This period saw the culmination and fruition of all anterior trends and tendencies of artistic pursuits resulting in a unified and synthesized plastic expressions characterised by an unprecedented intellectual diction and spiritual depth.

Gupta sculpture, therefore, marked the apogee between its preceding formative crescendo and the waning aftermath, and the effect of this highest achievement was shared with equal enthusiasm throughout the country. This explains why the art of the Gupta period is most aptly referred to as the ‘classical’ art of India.

It is ‘classical’ because of its intrinsic quality of a high- order, which was shared throughout the country but was never paralleled earlier or later. After the Guptas the political situation was rather chaotic. As a consequence separatism coupled with regional bigotry started asserting and this meant an obvious disintegration of the Gupta classical tradition of art.

In pre-Gupta sculpture human figures are represented as one of the numerous manifestations of nature. But in the Gupta sculptural art, human figures are not merely a manifestation but rather the representation of nature with all its grandeur. The Gupta sculptor used the human figure as the vehicle for the transmutation of nature into art.

In fact, the articulation of all natural phenomena in terms of the human figure was the basic artistic proposition before the Gupta sculptor. The human in the Gupta sculpture is characterised by a disciplined vitality. The youth or the youthfulness being the veritable vehicle of vitality, the Gupta sculptor invariably preferred a youthful human figure.

The rhythmic torsion of the body conveyed the sense of the gliding undulation of a sprightful creeper. The drooping eyelids of a serene and contemplative face, particularly of a Buddha figure, have their parallels in the soft and tender lotus petals. The neck is likened to a conchshell with its spiral curves representing the folds of that limb.

The simile for the thigh is either the firm or resilient trunk of a plantain tree or of a young elephant. Through the ingenuity of similar other poetic analogies the Gupta sculptor, in fact, extended the visual meaning of the human form beyond its mere anatomical structure, and this new aesthetic vision enriched the expressive content of the entire Gupta sculpture.

One constituent element of the Gupta art was idealisation, which gradually led to the systematisation of a series of aesthetic canons in terms of various attitudes (asana), gestures (mudra), flexions (bhanga), proportion and measurement (talamana) and iconographic signs (pratimalakshana). The intellectual discipline, the soul of the Gupta art, elevated it from the surfeit earthliness of Mathura and, at the same tint discarded the sensuousness of the Vengi scholars.

The Gupta sculptors gave prominence tot meaningful expression of the combined visions the two worlds (outside and inner) which can seen in the half-closed eyes with drooping eyeli of the faces of human figures, divine or mo And therein lies the true significance of the conc of yoga (union) between the physical and spiritu aspects of life, which was the guiding principle only of the plastic art, but presumably also of al spheres of activities during the Gupta period.

So far as the theme is concerned, the sculptu” of the Gupta period can broadly be divided in two categories (i) free and independent sculptu” mostly of the cult images, and (ii) the narrati reliefs. The former category includes, on the on hand, the images of the Buddha having Monas” simplicity of form and hieratic discipline in the overall bearing and, on the other, those of the Bodhisattvas and Brahmanical cult divinities shown with lavish jewellery and apparel and expressinga somewhat greater relaxation in bearing.

The stone’ sculptures of the Buddha are often provided with large circular halo or nimbus. The second catego i.e. the narrative reliefs, particularly those depictin the legends of the Buddha, are by and large, ve~ much systematised in their formal compositions which often betray a sense of monotony about them. The episodes are often arranged one above the other in several tiers.

Technically speaking, Gupta sculpture is characterized by a full rounded volume of the! Plastic form with soft and delicate modelling and properly co-ordinated contours the lines, particularly those defining the form, are softly I gliding and rhythmically flowing. The plastic treatment of the body is delicate and sensitive with a luminosity of texture.

The physiognomy is elegant and devoid of any pathological blemishes. The drapery is invariably transparent and hence does not disturb the plastic effect of the part of the body it is supposed to cover. Ornaments, very sparingly ascribed to the body, are mostly well integrated with it. The facial expressions, irrespective of the actions, are mostly serene and contemplative with obliquely cut eyes having drooping eyelids.

What counts most for the excellence of Gupta sculpture is that every form expresses itself within a definite line-motive and the figures admit of consolidation within a definite silhouette. This silhouette is more than the fortuitous cessation of the visibility of the form. The contours are coordinated in such a way as to affect the correct degree of the play of light and darkness, which eventually is subordinated to the plastic form.

The major orientation in direction of achieving the ‘classical’ form was given at two places: Mathura and Sarnath, leading to the emergence of the two fundamental styles of Gupta sculpture known after the two places of their origin. The Mathura style represents the phase of transition from the Kushana idiom to the grace and serene dignity of the Gupta classical ideal upheld by the sculptures of Sarnath.

Mathura sculpture was made of moderately fine red sandstone. At Sarnath the material used was cream coloured sandstone which was quite suitable for intricate details and a fine finish. The earliest dated example of Gupta sculpture, so far known, belongs to the Mathura style found from Bodhgaya.

It is an image of Bodhisattva belonging to the fourth century AD. The plasticity of the modelling, the sensitivity of the plastic surface, the transparent drapery and, above all, the serene contemplative mien of the Bodhgaya Bodhisattva conform to all the basic requirements of a classical Gupta sculpture.

Some other famous sculptures of this period are: a reddish brown sandstone head found from Mathura now in the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art, a head of Shiva in the stele from Kaushambi, a fourth century Shaivite head from Mathura now in the Calmann Gallery London etc.

The achievements of the fourth century Mathura sculptors, best expressed in the Bodhgaya Bodhisattva image, caught the attention of the sculptors of the other centres including those outside India. A remarkable example of such a possible derivation is the celebrated fourth century Buddha image in dhydna-mudra at Anuradhapur in Sri Lanka.

Ilowever, it is at Sarnath that the seeds of the Gupta classical ideal in sculpture drawn out from Mathura had their proper germination leading to a glorious harvest of numerous sculptures having inimitable mastery over technique and aesthetic diction. Not only the figures of the Buddha but those of divinities of the other faiths including even the secular figures, sculptures of Sarnath, belonging to the fifth century, had characteristics common in them.

The ‘classical’ phase of the Sarnath School has been fixed around AD 475 on the basis of the three dated sculptures of the standing Buddha, all of them from Sarnath and now preserved in the Sarnath Museum. In basic stylistic and iconographic considerations, these figures have proximity with a standing Buddha figures from Mathura now in the National Museum. This figure is perhaps the most remarkable productions of the Mathura school of the Gupta period. It stands in samapada, the left hand holding up a portion of the sanghati, while the right, which is broken now, presumably showed the abhayamudra.

One of the best productions of the classical phase of Sarnath, and the most celebrated, is the sculpture representing the Buddha as delivering his first sermon. It shows the master as seated in the vajraparyanka attitude with hands disposed in the teaching gesture (dharmachakramudra). He is seated on a throne with two leogryphs supporting a lintel having makara ends.

On the plinth of throne is the representation of the Wheel of the law, flanked by two deer and seven figures, five of them representing the first adherents of the faith and the remaining two possibly the donor couple. Behind the head of the Buddha is the circular halo (prabha).

One either side of this nimbus, there is a flying figure of a gandharva. Other examples of the Sarnath school are: the head of the Buddha in the National Museum, three standing Buddha images, now in the Indian Museum, Calcutta (mentioned above) etc.

After the decline of the Gupta Empire, the Gupta art seems to have reached far flung areas developing into many regional styles. A few interesting sculptures, like the image of Karttikeya from Banaras, the head of Shiva or Lokeshvara from Sarnath, the Ekamukhalinga from Khoh (MP), the Apsara from Gwalior (MP), the image of Ganga from Besnagar (MP) and the sculptures in the Shiva temple at Bhumara (MP) – all belonging to the Gupta period – have no doubt the registration of the distinctive Sarnath idiom of poise and balance, but they seem to be plastically heavier and spiritually inferior, for lack of refinement in modelling and felicity of contours.

The Dashavatara temple at Deogarh has some sculptures depicting interesting formulations of the Gupta classical ideal. The temple has sculptured friezes adorning the sides of the basement, and three beautiful alto-relivo sculptures in the niches.

The friezes, depicting mostly the stories of the epics and the Puranas, speak of the nature of transformation that had occurred in the field of narrative reliefs during the past few centuries.

Due to a dignified bearing and disciplined vigour these figures breathe an air of calm detachment, which is evident from the examples like the panels depicting the birth story of Krishna or the episode of the release of Ahalya by Rama. The impact of the Gupta classical ideal is more evident in the sculptures contained in niches of the temples.

One of them known as the Nara-Narayana panel belongs to the same sublime plastic conception and spiritual experience of Sarnath. The figures in the Gajendramoksha panel or in the Anatashayi panel have an interesting sense of organic movement.

The Classical Gupta plastic tradition, as received and interpreted by the sculptors of the Malwa region, is best expressed through the examples like the images of Ganga from Besnagar, Apsara from Gwalior, the standing Shiva from Mandasor, the image of Narasimha in the Gwalior Museum, the sculptures on the lintel of the torana at Pawaya, the celebrated carved figures on the live rocks of the Udayagiri caves near Bhilsa, and also the Buddhist figures of the caves at Bagh.

A study shows that the sculptors were making modificati in their inherited experience of the Sanchi days through the efficiency imparted by the class’ Gupta art. Other important reliefs are: tin Varahavatara relief in the Udayagiri caves, andftj Bhaja Surya relief.

Apart from these we have evidence of aft interesting metal sculptures. Two bronze ima of the Buddha are known from Dhanesar Kir (Banda district UP), one of them is now in Nel: Gallery of Art, Kansas City both of them bel to the Gupta period. Another bronze image of Buddha comes from Phopnar in MP.

The Dhan Khera and Phopnar Buddhas represent phase experimentation in the style of metal images’ which the touch of the true spirit and techni diction of the classical Sarnath idiom was still come.

Only when this style had undergone t experience of the sublimity of the classicism ofthd Sarnath school, it was possible for the sculptorsti formulate images like the celebrated Sultangaff Buddha, which no doubt inspired many met” images of the Buddha of the Nalanda and Kurkih studios of the subsequent period.

The colossal metal image of the Buddha (now; in the Birmingham Art Gallery) from Sultanga (Bihar) is an example of a union between classi Gupta trend and a regional predilection. Its grace abhanga posture, transparent drapery, luminosity] of the texture of the plastic surface and, above all, the suavity of the linear contours no doubt belong to the plastic traditions of Sarnath.

But the sensitivity of the bent finger-tips, the deep shade round the eyes and also the lines drawn from the nostrils to the mouth mark the figure with a distinct emotional fervour which obviously is an eastern. Indian introduction.

Another Buddha metal image belonging to the classical Gupta tradition now in the Cleveland Museum of Art also stands in the same attitude and shows the same gesture in the hands as those of the Sultanganj Buddha. Other examples showing these characteristics are: the Nagini figure from Maniyar Math (Rajgir), the

minding image of the Buddha from Biharail (Bangladesh), the gold-plated image of Manjushri in bronze from Mahasthan (north Bengal), the figures of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna, carved on the door-frames of the temples at Dah Parvatiya (Assam) and also the terracotta plaque from Tamluk (West Bengal) etc.

In Western India too the sculptors were experimenting with the various facets of the Gupta classical idiom and were trying to adapt them to their own indigenous tradition. The sculptors of this region were influenced not only by the Mathura and Sarnath idioms of the Gupta Classical norms but also by the Kshatrapa-Satavahana art represented by the objects hailing from Devni Mori and Mirpur Khas.

The Govardhana-dharana panel from Mandsor, the door panel at Nagari, the bronze figure of Brahma from Mirpur Khas in Sind shows influence of Mathura and Sarnath traditions. The Samlaji-Dungarpur region has yielded a large number of sculptural remains at places like Samlaji, j Kalyanpura, Amjhara and Tanesara-Mahadeva which show the existence of a vital sculptural I tradition.

The sculptures of this region are mostly carved of a soft schist of greenish blue that abounds in the Dungarpur area. The notable examples are: ‘ the figure of a male divinity, figure of Kaumari and the representations of the mother and child, all belonging to Tanesara group.

Gupta Terracotta Sculptures The other popular mode of plastic expressions during the Gupta period was through terracotta art which seems to have been widely practised throughout North India, particularly in the Ganga- Yamuna basin, obviously because the riverine plains were the most potential source of materials for this type of art, viz. malleable earth and clay.

During the Gupta period, the scope of the art of terracotta was vastly widened because of the increasing popularity of structural constructions in brick. Not only that, curved bricks were used often to decorate both the interior and exterior walls of buildings, but various types of terracotta plaques and figurines were actually employed for architectural beautification.

References to the art of terracotta and clay figurines found in the writings of Kalidasa and Banabhatta are no doubt indicative of the great popularity of this art. And this is attested to by the great treasures of terracotta figurines discovered from numerous sites of North India: Harwan in Kashmir, Hanumangarh and Bikaner in Rajasthan, Sari Bahol, Takht-i-Bahi, and Jamalgarh in Punjab, Brahmanabad and Mirpur Khas in Sind, Pawaya in MP, Sahet Maheth, and Kasia. Kosham, Bhitargaon, Bhita, Ahichchhatra and Rajghat in UP, Basarh in Bihar and Mahasthan, Tamluk and Bangarh in Bengal