ARTS OF THE MAURYAN PERIOD

Arts of The Mauryan period may be categorized into Sculptures(Pillars and statues), Rock-cut Architecture, Stupas.

ARTS OF THE MAURYAN PERIOD

Sculptures	Rock-cut Architecture	Stupas
Pillars-Lion Capital pillar	Lomus Rishi cave at Barabar hills, Gaya, Bihar.	Sanchi stupa
Statues-Yakshi figure from Didarganj	Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli

Sculptures(मूर्तियां)

Sculptures of pillars and statues are the most important art form of the Mauryan period.

Sculptures are highly Polished.

Pillars

The top portion of Mauryan pillars is carved with capital figures of Bull, The Lion, The elephant, etc.

The shaft of the Pillars is Polished.

How Mauryan Pillar different from Achamenian Pillar?

Mauryan pillars are rock-cut pillars(
चट्टानों को काटकर ) however Achamenian pillars were constructed in pieces by a mason(मकान बनाने वाला). Lion capital is one of the most remarkable Mauryan Pillar.

Also read:- ARTS OF INDUS VALLEY

Statues

Statues of Yakshas and Yakhinis from the Mauryan period are found in Places like Patna, Vidisha, Mathura, etc.

These are Large, Polished and in standing position.

Statues have the full round face, Pronounced( स्पष्ट ) cheek. Sculpture Artists has Physiognomic( मुख देख कर चरित्र जान लेने की विद्या ) skills. Physiognomic details are captured in statues.

Brahmanical gods represented in sculpture form.

Rock-cut Architecture

Many rock-cut caves carved during the Mauryan period. Caves served the purpose of viharas, Chaityas, etc.

Lomus Rishi cave, Gaya, Bihar is one such example. The Cave decorated with semicircular Chaitya.

The rock-cut technique used for carving Sculptures. Dhauli rock-cut elephant is one such example.

Stupas

The popularity of Buddhism led to the construction of many Stupas during the Mauryan period. The architecture of Stupas was initially simpler however it became complex in later centuries. The stupa consists of a Cylindrical drum, circular Anda, Harmika, Chhatra.

Buddha’s life events like birth, Renunciation, Enlightenment, Dhammachakra-pravartana, Mahaparinibbana(liberation from the cycle of birth) and The jataka stories like Chhadanta jataka, Vidurpandita jataka, Ruru jataka, Sibi jataka, Vessantara jataka, Shama jataka, etc are depicted on railings and torans of the Stupas.

INDUS VALLEY ARTS