A spellbinding Met exhibition reveals how Indian artists transformed the Buddha’s absence into presence
Sculptures of the Buddha, sometimes seated cross-legged, sometimes standing with one hand raised, are a familiar mainstay of museums and yoga rooms all over the world. But in telling the story of how an identifiably Buddhist art emerged in the Deccan in southern India over about 600 years , “Tree & Serpent” reveals that early Buddhist sculptors wrestled with the question of not only how to represent the Buddha, but whether to represent him at all.That refusal carried philosophical weight.
The stupas’ projecting platforms and pillars were decorated with narrative scenes so devotees circumambulating the stupas could familiarize themselves with stories that illustrate Buddhist precepts. Mostly carved in sandstone, these scenes make up the pith of the exhibition. Many are from the ruins of the great stupa at Bharhut, in central India, built around 250 B.C. and excavated after its rediscovery in 1873.
Yakshis, meanwhile, ensured fertility and nurtured new life — including human life. As the Met’s Kurt Behrendt points out in his 2019 book, “How to Read Buddhist Art,” “the veneration of these goddesses would have been vitally important to the lay community, who were probably more concerned with the success of their crops than with something as elusive as enlightenment.”
A winged lion on top of a pillar reminds us that early Buddhist art also incorporated motifs from other cultures, especially Persia, Greece and Rome. The walls inside my brain spontaneously vaporized when I came across a one-inch-tall Indian ivory figurine of a sensuous and bejeweled yakshi.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Georgia Court Publishes, Removes Document Detailing Potential New Trump ChargesA document briefly posted on the Fulton County, Georgia, court website indicated Trump could face roughly a dozen new charges, including a racketeering charge. See potential bias and similarities in coverage from NRO, BusinessInsider, and Reuters:
Read more »
Utah man accused of threatening president pointed gun at agents, FBI saysThe Utah man accused of making violent threats against President Joe Biden before a trip to Salt Lake City last week pointed a handgun at FBI agents attempting to arrest him, the agency said on Monday.
Read more »
How long should Denver's elected leaders be allowed to stay in office?How long should Denver's elected leaders be allowed to stay in office? Council members discussed a potential ballot initiative today that could reduce their time in office. Some didn’t like that idea — at least not for the council. dengov copolitics
Read more »
‘The Bee Sting’ Review: When Did It All Go Wrong?Review: In Paul Murray’s sprawling new novel 'The Bee Sting,' a well-off family has the rug pulled out from under them
Read more »
BALD Token Tanks 33%, Has It Finally Met Its Waterloo?Base-based meme coin BALD has shed 33% of its price as new liquidity drain is recorded
Read more »
BMW M4 Competition 2023 review – a car well deserving of its M badge status | EvoDon’t let the weight and choice of gearbox fool you. The G82 BMW M4 is an M car in the very best tradition -
Read more »