THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Principal Investigator Prof. S. P. Bansal
Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Rewari
Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Prashant K. Gautam
Director, UIHTM, Panjab University, Chandigarh Paper Coordinator Prof. Manoj Dixit
Vice Chancellor, R.M.L. University, Faizabad, UP
Content Writer Dr. Sachin Kr. Tiwary
Asstt. Professor, Department of AIHC & Arch., Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Content Reviewer Prof. S. P. Bansal
Vice Chancellor, Indira Gandhi University, Rewari Paper 10: tourism products of India
Historical Development of Tourism and Hospitality in the World Module 13: Sculptural Art of Ancient, Medieval and Modern India
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 What is Art & Sculpture
2.0 Indus Valley Civilization Art
3.0 Indus-Saraswati Valley Civilization (2500-1700 BCE) 4.0 Mauryan Period (322 BCE - 185 BCE)
5.0 Shunga (187 to 78 BCE) -Satavahana (100 BCE to 200 CE) Period 6.0 Kushana Period (100 to 300 CE)
7.0 Gupta Period (321 to 550 CE)
8.0 Post Gupta Period: Phase I (6th -8th cent. CE) 9.0 Post Gupta Period: Phase II (9th -12th cent. CE) 10.0 Modern Period (c. 1500 to c. 1800 CE)
ITEMS DESCRIPTION OF MODULE Subject Name Tourism & Hospitality
Paper Name Paper 10, Tourism Products of India
Module Title Sculptural Art of Ancient, Medieval and Modern India Module Id Module no-13
Pre- Requisites A brief knowledge about Sculptural Art of India
Objectives Indus Valley, Mauryan Art, Shunga Art, Gupta & Post Gupta Art
Keywords Tourism & Hospitality
QUADRANT-I INTRODUCTION
What is Art?
Art is a diverse range of expression or application of human activities in the creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual materialistic form such as rock art executed at the site on the wall, ceiling, floor or sculpture made of stone, wood, metal, bone or painting on cloth, leather, wood, plaster wall (Mural Art), unprepared or prepared wall producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or an aesthetic or expression of inner view. “Art” is related to the Latin word “ars” meaning, art, skill, or craft. The first known use of the word art comes from 13th century manuscripts. It may divide in to three groups; representation, expression, and form. Sculptures, rock art from the Upper Paleolithic dating to roughly 40,000 years ago have been found at Bhimbetaka in Madhya Pradesh and in Kaimur range in Bihar etc.
Fig.1: General view of the shelter and executed rock art on the wall, Kaimur, Bihar (Photo by Author)
What is Sculpture?
The word evolved from the Latin word Sculperemeans to carve. Traditionally sculpture had defining characteristics, like; two or three dimensional form of representation carving or shaping from stone, wood, metal, terracotta, ivory, stucco etc.
or modeling by using clay, plaster, wax and casting metal or plaster like;‘Icon’, ‘image’
and ‘idol’ are three terms, commonly used for the object of ritualistic worship in Hinduism and other religions. Images undoughtedly existed in Vedic period. Many gods and goddesses like Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, Prithvi, Chandra, Surya, Agni, Soma, Vayu, Jala etc. Are listed in Vedas; but since 500 BCE, we have hardly any archaeological evidence till 500 BCE.
The Indian art till pre-modern period is basically religious and spiritual and not merely ‘art for art sake’. The secular art; mainly in paintings in the courts of kings, is later development in medieval period. Sculptured architectural members are fairly more than independent sculptures. It is true with rock-cut temples and monolithic pillars which were sculptured with great care and devotion, technical skill and hard labour.
Indus-Saraswati Valley Civilization (2500-1700 BCE)
Among the sculptural remains at Indus-Saraswati sites, the most important image is ‘priest’ of lime stone (17.5 cm) and the bronze image of a dancing girl from Mohenjo- daro. The priest’s half closed eyes rests on the tip of his flattish nose, thick lips, upper lip shaven, ear resembling a two-edged shell with a hole, hair and beard neatly combed with a narrow ribbon tying the hair with a large stone in center at forehead. He is wearing a loose cloth decorated with trefoil pattern, running from under the left arm to the right shoulder.
Fig.2: Image of Priest made of stone (A), Image of Dancing Girl made of bronze (B)Source:www.slideshare.net, Image of bullock cart displayed in National Museum (C), Image of terracotta mother goddess (D), Image of Male torso made of stone (E) Courtesy:
Dr.D.P.Sharma
The dancing girl’s right hand is on her waist and left with lots of bangles; on the bent left knee. This shows that Indus people were well aware of smelting metal. There are terracotta figurines of Mother Goddess worth to be mentioned.
Mauryan Period (322 BCE - 185 BCE)
The classical types of this period are Capitals (Single Lion, Four back to back seated lions, Bull, Horse, Elephant, Lions with Chakra), Yaksha-Yakshini, Male Torso, and Gudimallam Siva Linga along with railings, Insitu Carved Rock Cut Sculpture such as Dhauli Elephant etc. Ashoka, the great Mauryanking, had zealously followed the orders of the Buddha ie. ‘No - image- worship’, and only symbols were used to represent the
Lord. He caused to built the dharma-stambhas or the pillars of piety with images of four great animals (mahapashus), ie. elephant, horse, bull and lion; representing the life of the Buddha(His mother’s dream, zodiac sign, mahabhinishkramana and Himself) along with wheel of religion (chakra), goose, pipalleaf, lotus etc.; the symbols sacred in Indian traditions- Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
Fig.3: Lions capital, the National emblem of India from Sarnath Museum (A), Bull Capital from Rampurva, Biharnow displayed in RashtrapatiBhawan, New Delhi (Source:
rashtrapatisachivalaya.gov.in), Lion capital from Kolhua, Bihar (C), DeedarganjYakshini from Patna Museum, Patna, Bihar (D), Rock Cut Elephant from Dhauli, Odisha (E), Terracotta mother goddess, Bihar (F), Ring Stone from Patna Museum, Bihar (G) (Photo
by Author)
Other images were being made as an image of Vishnu with a dedicatory inscription in late Mauryan or Shunga character was found from Malhar in Chhattisgarh and larger than
life sized images of yakshas and yakshis from Parkham (Mathura), Kaushambi, Pratapgarh, Vidisha, Pataliputra etc. The Didarganj - yakshini (withMauryan polish) is most famous (2nd cent. BCE). Among these, two nude male torsos (with famous Mauryan polish on one of these) from Lohanipur in Patna district of Bihar province, is considered to be Jaina images. Other examples are Shiva Linga with standing Shiva trampling the apasmar from Gudimallam, Andhra Pradesh and an image of Balarama from Mathura (2nd cent. BCE). Thus the sculptural activities were much developed in between 236 BCE (Ashoka’s death) and 150 BCE (when Heliodors erected Garuda-dhwaja at Vidisha).
Thus the Maurya art was restricted with pillars only made of sand-stone of Chunar in Uttar Pradesh. These were made with two parts-
(i) The monolithic tapering shaft, round in section and many times bearing Ashokan edict, and
(ii) The monolithic capital, depicting inverted lotus capped by the abacus on which panels of floral and faunal designs can be seen. On the abacus are the images of lion or bull or elephant or horse (?).The most famous and promising capital among these is the lion capital of Sarnath, showing four roaring lions, sitting back to back with smiling faces. This lion capital is the National Emblem of India. It has four animals on its abacus ie. Elephant, bull, horse and a lion described above. The pillars and capitals are highly polished with famous Mauryan polish. The caves bearing same polish at Barabar and Nagarjuni in Gaya district of Bihar, also show beautifully carved round hut at Sudama cave and arched gateway with panels carved with pictures of stupas being worshipped by elephants. The famous elephant image immerging from a rock at Dhauli in Odisha is worth to remember.
Shunga (187 to 78 BCE) -Satavahana (100 BCE to 200 CE) Period
The evidence of Sunga and Satavahna art are reported from Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal for Shunga art and Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh
the Shunga- Satavahana art was mostly Buddhist in nature. The famous examples are stupa of Bharhut in Madhya Pradesh with railing pillars and gateway of sand stone (2nd cent. BCE), mahastupaand many smaller stupas at Sanchi, a rock-cut monastery at Pitalkhora and Jain monasteries at Udaigiri- Khandagiri and Mathura ornamented with sculptures of yaksha, yakshini, men, women, royal couple, animals, birds, reptiles, life scenes of Buddha, Jataka’s stories and Buddhist symbols like foot-print, wheel, triratna, stupa, Bodhi- tree etc.The men and women are often with foreign facial features confirming the connection with West Asia and tribal people of India herself.
Fig.4: Terracotta female figurine (mother goddess) (A), General view of the toran from Sanchi (B), Close-up view of the HeliodorsBesnagar pillar (D), View of Bodhgaya
railing (E), Close-up view of Sanchitorangate (F), A view of Bharahut railing displayed in Indian Museum, Kolkata, West Bengal (G)
Fig.5: Stone slab with intricate carvings from Amrawati (A), Stone Medallion from the part of Vedica, Source:
http://www.britishmuseum.org,Source:www.68.media.tumblr.com(B), Gold Ornaments Source:www.pinterest.com(C),Terracotta figurine made of Kaolin clay, Amarawati, Depiction of Mara-vijaya scene in Relief on stone, Source: www.wikipedia.org (E), A
still from Satvahana art fromAmaravatiGuntur, Andhra Pradesh, Source:Guimet_Museum, Paris
Kushana Period (100 to 300 CE)
The Kushanas, a branch of Yu Chi tribe from Chinese Central Asia, accepted Indian religion whole heartedly without neglecting Greco-Roman imagery which was locally popular. Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Buddhism, Jainism were deeply rooted in India.
The Kushanas also adapted philosophical thoughts which resulted as Mahayanism in Buddhism. The mudras (abhaya, varada, dhyana, dharmachakrapravartana etc.) and the symbols (shankh, chakra, gada, padma etc.) were differently used in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. There are few terracotta heads along with a colossal image of Bodhisattva with a huge umbrella made of sand stone; now displayed in Sarnath Museum and a seated Bodhisattva at National Museum; both from Mathura. This period had three main centers of art: Ai-Khanum in Bactria, Gandhar in Purushpur (Peshawar) and
Mathura in India, which had Bactrian and classical (Greco-Roman and indigenous) elements respectively. The Ai-Khanum images show dresses like pyjamaand tunic with typical Bactrian motifs; the Gandhara style shows the costumes and coiffeurs in a mixed way of Indian, classical and Bactrian. Buddha with curly/ wavy/ flame like hair, moustache, tender face and serene facial expressions, beautiful half-closed eyes etc. are other features of Gandhara school of art. It was mostly done on blueish schistose stone and slate stone (up to 3rd cent. CE).
Fig.6: Terracotta female figurine (A), Shalbhanjikastone image (B), A scene of Bacchanalia (C), Art on railing and medallion (D), Image of Buddha (E), Image of SarvatobhadraJainatirthankaras(F), Image of a Kushana King Kanishka (G), Iaage of a
Kubera (H) ) are from Mathura State Museum, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India
The Mathura school of art mainly used red blotchy sand stone showing Buddha of heavy body in Indian dhoti; often covering left shoulder, small curly hair or a top knot, left hand resting on hip, open or semi-closed eyes, thick lips and round or oval face. The
female figures were wearing transparent dhoti and various ornaments. The flora and fauna were depicted in a very realistic manner. The raw material used in this period was white spotted red sand stone which was queried fromSikri, Mathurafor Mathura School of Art and grey schist for Gandhara School of Art.
Fig.7: Prince Siddhartha Leaves the Palace Pakistan, San Diego Museum of Art, California (A), Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, Miho Museum, Koka, Japan (B), Lord
Buddha in Fasting posture,Lahore Museum, Pakistan (C), Buddha debout, Peshawar Museum, Pakistan (D), Head of Lord Buddha made of Stucco (E), Bamiyan Lord Buddha, Afghanistan, Source:www.prandalrauser.com (F), Kanishka Casket, Birtish
Museum, London (G)
Gupta Period (321 to 550 CE)
In Gupta period, all types of developments were at its zenith; especially in fine arts including art of sculpting. The Gupta art and its beauty were totally indigenous and devoid of any imposed sophistication, ornamentation or any other element. The technical excellence can be witnessed in the image of Buddha in dharmachakrapravartana mudraSarnath Museum, Varanasi. Other beautiful images of this period are that of life
size Ganga and Yamuna in terracotta and stone from Ahichchhatra, and Lakshmi, Sita, Parvati in terracotta and stone from Sarnath and Kaushambi; Nara-Narayana- Gajendramoksha and panels of life scenes of Buddha at Deogarh temple; Varaha with Bhudevi panel of Eran and many stylistic and beautifully charming images and heads of Buddha and scenes of his life at Sarnath. These images are large in proportion but extremely light in visual weight. The images and panels are perfectly balanced. Less ornaments, transparent drapery like a wet cloth, showing softness of flesh and contours of body, semi-closed eyes looking at the tip of his nose; as if in contemplation, oval face with sharp features etc. show the anatomical proportions true to life.
Fig.8: Gold Coin of Samudra Gupta (A), Terracotta Plaque of Krishna battling the horse demon keshi, National Museum (B), Standing Buddha bronze, Sultanganj Source:
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (C), Terracotta Life size image of goddess Ganga, National Museum (D), Varaha Image of Lord Vishnu, Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh (E),
Vishnu AnantasayanaPanel, Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh (F) Courtesy: ASI, Dharmachakraparvattanaimage of Lord Buddha, Sarnath Museum (G)
Thus the Mathura art shows heaviness and the Gandhara art shows Greek Olympian beauty of male athletes in Kushana period; while the Gupta art shows the youthfulness of a yogi, calm and composed expressing only his inner bliss not the body- muscles which is nomenclature as Sarnathschool of art, which was more realistic than Gandhara and Mathura schools.
Post Gupta Period: Phase I (6th -8th cent. CE)
This period witnessed beginning of many cults in each religion which resulted in many images of cult-gods and goddesses. The Maitrakas of Valabhi (6th -7th cent. CE) in Saurashtra gave the sculptures (bronze) of Sun temple at Gopa, Shamalaji, Akota (near Vadodara) etc. An artistic movement of great importance flourished under the aegis of the Pallava rulers of Kanchi and they are credited with having built the seven monolithic pagodas, the rathas, in Mahabalipuram. Some of the outstanding sculptures that are credited to their patronage are the Mahishasuramardini in relief, Girigovardhana panel, Arjuna's penance or the Descent of the Ganga, Trivikrama Vishnu, Gajalakshmi and Anatasayanam. In the annals of Indian art there is perhaps no better example of the representation of the Elephant than that in the Arjuna's penance scene. The celestial world, the temporal world as well as the animal world has been shown with masterly skill.
Fig.9: Rock Cut sculptures, Badami, Karnataka,Chalukya period (A), Ceiling of Durga temple, Aihole, Karnataka, Chalukya period (B), Image from Kailasha rock cut
temple, Maharshtra, Rashtrakut period (C), Padmapani mural, Ajnata, Maharshtra, Chalukya/Vakataka period (D), Façade of Gop temple, Jamnagar architectural style, Gujarata, Valabhi period Source: www.twitter.com/urchinspock (E), Image of Durga,
Aihole, Karnataka, Chalukya period (F) Courtesy: ASI
The Rashtrakutas (8th century) created the greatest wonder of medieval Indian art in Kailasa temple at Ellora. Quarried out of a hill and solid rocks, it is sculptured on a grand scale. The bold and magnificent carving in this temple shows the Rashtrakuta style of tall and powerfully built figures, reflecting with spiritual and physical poise. The beautiful architectural rock sculpture from Cave No.29 at Ellora shows the marriage of Siva and Parvati and Ravana shaking mount Kailasa.A classic panel shows the king of the Naga and his queen, belonging to Ajanta, 5th century CE. The sculptural work at Ajanta merits as great attention as the world famous wall paintings.
The Chalukyas of Badami had temples cut into rocks at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal with rich prolific sculptures ofhindudeties.TheVakataka traditions are derived from the earlier Satavahana which can be clearly seen in the many carvings and in the painted and carved figures at Ajanta. It is only the decorative elements, chiefly composed of pearls and ribbons, so characteristic of the Gupta-Vakatakaage, which distinguishes them from the simpler, but notable sculpture of Amravati.
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Fig.10: Bas-relief of Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu, Pallava period (A), Five pagodas from Mahabalipuram, Pallava period (B), Rock cave-cum-cut temple, Elephanta,
Maharashtra, Rashtrakut period (C), Famous image of maheshatrimurti, Rock cut cave- cum-temple, Elephanta, Maharashtra, Rashtrakut period (D)Courtesy: ASI
The cave-shrine at Elephanta contains the famous image of Mahesha. The three heads emanating from one and the same body represent three different aspects of Lord Shiva. The central face with a calm and dignified appearance shows him as the creator, the one on the left, with a severe look, portrays him as the destroyer and the third, to the right, with a calm and pacific expression as the protector.
Post Gupta Period: Phase II (9th -12th cent. CE)
After Guptas, the Vardhana dynasty started to rule in North India;
Harshavardhana being the most majestic ruler among all. The works of art in this period were marked with great workmanship in figure carving and in elaboration of jewellary;
for example. The art of Harsha's period has no separate position of its own. It is related to the art of Gupta period as well. Some scholars are of the view that the Lakshaman temple made of bricks at a place called Sirpur, Chhatisgarh belongs to Harsha's period. But some scholars are of the view that it was built on 9th century A.D. Another example of the art of Harsha's period is the copper statue of Buddha, which is eight feet high. The monasteries and temples of Nalanda are also the examples of the artistic achievements of this period.
In South India the Pallavas were succeeded by the Cholas in Tamilnadu with two great kings- Rajaraja (985-1018 CE) and Rajendra (1018-33 CE). The art flourished in this period were beautiful example of stone as well as of bronze. They created the great temples at Tanjavur, Gangai Kondo Cholapuram, Darasurama, which are a veritable treasure house of their art. The Gangaikondacholapuram temple with distinct features of South Indian architecture shows all the 108 dance-forms mentioned in Natyashastra, depicting Shiva in different postures of dance.
At the Brihadesvara temple at Tanjavur which is the most mature and majestic of the Chola temples, sculpture there has attained a new maturity which is evident in the gracefully modelled contours of the figures, their flexed poses, delicate ornamentation, pleasing faces and certain freshness, all of which add charm to the work. Chola art not only influenced the art of Ceylon, but it travelled as far away as Java and Sumatra.
Fig.11: General view of the Lakshman temple, Sirpur, Chhattisgarh, Vardhan period (A), Close view of the carving on the temple of Sirpur (B), Brihadeshwara temple mural representing Rajaraja and his guru, Chola period, Source:ASI (C),Chandesanugrahamurti, Brihadeshwara Temple, Gangaikondacholapuram, Chola period (D), Natraja image made
on bronze, Chola period, www.wikipedia.com (E)
The Chola art is beautifully represented in bronze and the most elegant and beautiful pieces are that of dancing Shiva or Nataraja (displayed in the National Museum, New Delhi), Ram, Sita and Hanumana as a group image in State Museum, Chennai;
Bharat with Ram’s sandles in the National Museum, New Delhi and images of gods and goddesses are other masterpieces of Chola art. These images of bronze were made with lost-wax method. These images are beautiful example of soft modeling, graceful flowing contours, and exquisite ornaments with inner bliss of gods and goddesses.
The Pala kings in 8th -11th cent. CE patronized sculptures of stone and bronze too.
The best examples of this period are collected from Nalanda, Kurkihara, Vikramashila and other places in Bihar. These examples also show strong connection between India and South –East Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Combodia etc. These
images are that of Buddha and other Buddhist deities, both male and female. The stone (schistose black stone) sculptures were also being produced in Pala period and these were also of Buddha, Buddhist deities and also of Vaishnava religion; collected from Nalanda, Bodhgaya, Rajshahi and Khichinga in Mayurbhanja and Sarnath in Varanasi.
Fig.12: Bronze image of Buddha, Patna museum, Pala period (A), Terracotta plaque image, Vikramshila, Bhagalpur, Bihar, Pala period (B), Image of Saraswati, Source: web of National Museum, 12tgh Cen. CE (C), Buddha image, Vikramshila,
Bhagalpur, Bihar, Pala period (D)
In Gujrat we can witness beautiful images of Vishnu’s ten incarnations, his rest on Sheshnag and sadhus, apsaras etc. on the pillars of Rani Kivav, made in 11th cent. CE.
The Chandelas (10th -11th cent.CE) in Khajuraho of Madhya Pradesh got to construct about 30 temples of Shiva, Vishnu and Jinas in a period of 100 years (950-1050 CE). The KandariyaMahadeva temple among these is masterpiece in quality of architecture and quantity of sculptures. Besides the Shaiva and Vaishnava gods and goddesses, beautiful images of devakanya, men, women, animals etc. in compromising
and erotic poses; scenes of every aspect of life of royal and common people in different moods are delightfully carved with a very realistic approach. The curvature and contour of body, the poses, sharp facial features (angular nose and eyes, short chin) are remarkable. These are imbued with great movement, flexibility and animation.
The Jain Saraswati image in white marble from Pali in Bikaner, displayed in National Museum, New Delhi is another noteworthy exampleof this period.
The Hoyasalas, who were contemporary to Late Palas and Early Post Cholas (11th -13th cent. CE) developed theirown characteristic style of art and architecture. The sculptures of this period show minute carving of the carpenters and goldsmiths for which the artisans were using bluish-black chlorite schist stone which were easy to carve as such. The figures are simply loaded with intricately carved ornaments from top to bottom. The Helebid temple is richly decorated with beautifully ornamented images portraying the entire heaven of Lord Indra. The god and goddesses, men and women and even walls of the temple are at the height of great workmanship, though the spirituality is lesser in proportion. The images show sharp nose, long narrow eyes, heavy legs, sqattish body with variously twisted postures. The Belur temple in Hasan district and Keshava temple of Somnathpur near Shrirangapattanam give largest panorama of sculptures in stone, metal and stucco of large number of gods and goddesses.
Fig.13: Uma-Maheshwara, Rani-Ki-Vav, Gujarat (A), KandariyaMahadeva, Khajuraho, Chandelaperiod (B),
Image of a nayika, Hoyasala period (C), Image of a warrior, Konark, Odisha (D)
The Odishanschool of art and architecture (contemporary to Pala-Sena; 8th -13th cent. CE) is another outstanding style in itself. The Parashurameshwara (750 CE), Mukuteshwara (950 CE), Lingaraja (1000 CE), Raja-Rani (1150 CE) and Surya (150 CE) temples of Konark are remarkable examples of this style. The sculptures of this period are rare and enormous. The main emphasis was given to craftsmanship after 1000 CE.
Modern Period (c. 1500 to c. 1800 CE)
The Hazarduari Palace with 1000 doors in Murshidabad (1829) has an excellent example sculptures like a masonary lion images in sitting posture at the foot of the grand staircase along with other bronze and marble statues.
The Victoria memorial (1906-1921 CE) at Kolkata, West Bengal has beautiful collection of images in marble displayed in 5 galleries, figure of Angel of Victory (4.9 m.) atop the central dome and statue of Lord Curzon in front of the main building along with images of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert are noteworthy.
Fig.14: Façade of the Murshidabad palace, West Bengal (A), An image of a mother with children, Victoria memorial, Kolkata, West Bengal (B)
Conclusion
Instead of the classical dignity, sobriety and simplicity, the sculpture is more and more tending towards ornamentation, creating highly ornate art objects, with strange and unusual imaginary creatures in the later period of ancient India. Loveliness and idealisation are still the artist's passion, but love of the ornate, decorative details is now dominant over classic simplicity. Styles went on developing the sculptors frequently departed from the texts and rules laid down, and delighted in those departures and the liberties they took with the bodies of humans and even of gods and goddesses.
This is a sign of maturity, life, dynamism. Strict uniformity, ingenuity and conformity with the rules laid down in the shilpasastra texts during the ages would be a sure sign of the decadence of this great art in the country. If art has to grow, it has to react to the changing circumstances of different times, inclinations, tastes and as it is the business of art, good art; to reflect contemporary society with its different taste, style also has to change. One look at the magnificent art of Indian sculpture, and sculpture through the ages in any Museum would satisfy the inquisitive mind of this attitude from age to age. The most remarkable achievement of the new artist of this age was to contribute a dreamy, floating quality to the figures of the flying gods and free movement than in the classical period; on the other hand there is a tendency towards increasing elegance and slenderness of form. There is a new beauty in women. The woman is no longer the mother goddess but a divine charmer.
The sculptures of ancient, medieval and modern India show the basic beliefs and thoughts of the respective periods, like in ancient India when only Hinduism prevailed the sculptures also showed the concept of one supreme power called Brahma, Ishwara or Paramatma. Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and Shakti were the supreme deities and others were their incarnation or their devotees. The images of Buddhism did not represent Buddha until the emergence of Mahayan sect when idol-worship was allowed.
In medieval period, when Islamic religion was more powerful in India there was concept of one God and his pagambar Prophet Mohammad. The same was the situation in Modern period, when India was under British rule and so Chtistianity was in more
power where there is one God and his son Jesus Christ. As image making or worship is not allowed in Islamic religion we do not find images related to this religion in medieval period. Images of Jesus Christ, child Jesus, his mother and other images are found in plenty.
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