Mathurā art

Mathurā art is a style of Indian art known for having some of the earliest artistic representations of the Buddha in human form. This style of art derives its name from the city of Mathurā, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India's northwest region. Mathurā was the center of a specialized school of sculpture that particularly flourished between the first and sixth centuries C.E., during the reign of the Kushan and Gupta empires.

Mathurā art is one of the oldest indigenous Indian schools of art. Archaeologists date the earliest works to the middle of the second century B.C.E. At its peak, the Mathurā school developed alongside another form of Kushan-era art called Gandhāra art. While both styles likely inspired one another, the Gandhāra school had stronger overtones of Hellenistic Greek influences. The Mathurā school, on the other hand, was almost entirely indigenous in its origins and proved to be highly influential in the development of Buddhist art throughout Southeast Asia. Mathurā continued to be an important center of art until about the twelfth century.

Brief History

Although Mathurā was the seat of this developing art style, the nearby cities of Kosambi and Sarnath were other important regional centers as well. Mathurā is located about eighty miles south of Delhi and has long been a key center of pilgrimage and trade. The area is home to a distinct type of red spotted sandstone that was mined at quarries in Sikri and from which Mathurā sculptures were carved.

The earliest pieces of art associated with the Mathurā school date to about 150 B.C.E. This phase includes statuary found at Bharana Kalan of a yaksha, which is a type of Indian male nature spirit, and a figure of the Hindu god Agni. It is believed that this phase of imagery was partially inspired by the great stone constructions at the archaeological sites of Barhut and Sanchi that date to the third century B.C.E.

While Mathurā art predates the region's occupation by the Kushan empire, it reached the early stages of its artistic peak during their rule. The Kushan empire ruled northwest India from the first through third centuries. The Kushans' Greco-Roman interactions likely had a strong influence on the development of Mathurā art and its movement from a symbolic embodiment of the Buddha to a more realistic one.

The great Kushan emperors Kanishka, Huvishka, and Vasudeva were all major patrons of the Mathurā school of Buddhist art. Kanishka in particular used the craftsmen at Mathurā to craft honorific statues of himself. The Gupta empire assumed control over the Mathurā region in the fourth century. Like the Kushans, they were great patrons of Mathurā and Gandhāra art, which led to increased interactions between the two styles. Although the Mathurā style outlasted the collapse of the Gupta empire in the early seventh century, its influence was diminished as a result.

Overview

Mathurā art evolved over the course of several hundred years. The region is at the crossroads of several major religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Brahmanism. The city of Mathurā is believed to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Krishna, and as such, is regarded as one of the holy cities of Hindus. One of the characteristics of the Mathurā school was its willing incorporation of stylistic elements from a broad cross section of religions and cultures.

During the period when Mathurā art was at its peak, the region was known for its religious tolerance and breadth of religious worship. The artists at Mathurā demonstrated a willingness to carve imagery catering to all the regional faiths. Works associated with the Buddhist, Hindu, Jainist, and Brahmanical traditions have all been ascribed to the Mathurā school. However, the Mathurā workshops are probably best known for their depictions of the Buddha.

In its earliest incarnations, Buddhist imagery did not directly depict the Buddha. Instead, artists would use symbolic representations of him, such as a pair of footprints, a Bodhi tree, or a wheel representing the dharmachakra (Wheel of the Dharma). However, the Mathurā artists were among the first sculptors to depict the Buddha in human form. Unlike the Gandhāra school craftsmen, who drew their inspiration of the human Buddha from Hellenistic imagery of the Greek gods (even going so far as to use clothing styles borrowed from Greek art), the Mathurā artisans independently derived their own ideas regarding the physical image of the Buddha. It is believed that the first Mathurā depictions of the Buddha in the first century C.E. were drawn from existing depictions of yaksha statuary. These early Buddhas were squat and smooth, with robes that lacked folds. To capture his spiritual contentment, artisans would craft these statues with rounded cheeks and a subtle smile. By the second century, Mathurā artists increased the characteristic rotundness often associated with images of the Buddha. However, the depictions of the Buddha from third and fourth centuries reverted to a thinner shape.

The first Mathurā Buddhas highlighted his serenity, virility, and joy. Although they lack the detail of later Mathurā Buddhas, these early incarnations are striking for their idealistic portrayals of the Buddha. This was in contrast to the Gandhāra sculptures, which relied more upon the realistic templates inspired by Hellenistic influences. Nonetheless, in keeping with the assimilative nature of Mathurā art, the artists from this school began to incorporate aspects of Gandhāra artwork, including its increased emphasis upon realism.

These later works instead stressed the human splendor and benevolence of the Buddha while offering increased refinement to his physical features and clothing. As a result, the halos encircling the head of the Buddha became more ornate with increasingly detailed decorations. Buddhas were also typically depicted with the characteristic curly hair and folded robes more closely associated with Gandhāra art.

Mathurā art is also known for its representations of the female form. Many of these images demonstrate a fluidity of shape intended to simulate motion and sensuality. Among the best examples are statues of yakshi (female nature deities) in which their expressions are represented through their facial features and body form. The Mathurā school is also credited with helping shape how the deities of the Brahmanism pantheon appeared.

The Mathurā school of art had vital resonances throughout the world of Buddhist art. It was particularly influential in its depiction of the human incarnation of the Buddha in both his sitting and standing forms. Aspects of the Mathurā style of Buddhas from the Gupta period can be found in statues located as far away as China and Japan. The Mathurā statues of Kushan royalty have also contributed to contemporary understandings of the dress from this period.

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