The Lion Capital of Asoka, National Emblem of India, the most famous example of Mauryan art
Art forms of India
Religions
Hindu
Sikh
Jain
Buddhist
Periods
Indus Valley
Mauryan
Indo-Greek
Indo-Scythian
Greco-Buddhist
Kushan
Gupta
Pandyan
Pallava
Chola
Indo-Islamic
Mughal
Techniques
Cave paintings
Rock-cut architecture
Ancient architecture
Architecture
Sculpture
Painting
Locations
Bhimbetka
Mathura
Gandhara
Sanchi
Bharhut
Barabar caves
Ajanta
Khajuraho
See also
Indian history
Indian culture
Asian art
Visual arts portal
v
t
e
Mauryan art is art produced during the period of the Mauryan Empire, the first empire to rule over most of the Indian subcontinent, between 322 and 185 BCE. It represented an important transition in Indian art from the use of wood to stone. It was a royal art patronized by Mauryan kings, most notably Ashoka. Pillars, stupas and caves are its most prominent surviving examples.
The most significant remains of monumental Mauryan art include those of the royal palace and the city of Pataliputra, a monolithic rail at Sarnath, the Bodhimandala or the altar resting on four pillars at Bodhgaya, the rock-cut chaitya-halls in the Barabar Caves near Gaya (including the Sudama cave bearing the inscription dated the 12th regnal year of Ashoka), the non-edict-bearing and edict-bearing pillars, the animal sculptures crowning the pillars with animal and vegetal reliefs decorating the abaci of the capitals, and the front half of the representation of an elephant carved in the round from a live rock at Dhauli.[1]
Ananda Coomaraswamy, writing in 1923, argued that the Mauryan art had three main phases.[2] The first phase is found in some instances of the representation of the Vedic deities (the most significant examples are the reliefs of Surya and Indra at the Bhaja Caves).[2] However the art of the Bhaja Caves is now generally dated later than the Mauryan period, to the 2nd-1st centuries BCE.[3] The second phase was the court art of Ashoka, typically found in the monolithic columns on which his edicts are inscribed and the third phase was the beginning of brick and stone architecture, as in the case of the original stupa at Sanchi, the small monolithic rail at Sanchi, and the Lomas Rishi Cave in the Barabar Caves, with its ornamented facade, echoing the forms of wooden art.[2]
Most scholars agree that Mauryan art was influenced by Greek and Persian art, especially in imperial sculpture and architecture.[4] Political and cultural contacts between the Greek and Persian cultures and India were intensive and ran for a long period of time, encouraging the propagation of their advances in the area of sculpture.[4]
^Mahajan V.D. (1960, reprint 2007). Ancient India, New Delhi: S.Chand, New Delhi, ISBN 81-219-0887-6, p.348
^ abcIntroduction To Indian Art. 1923. p. 15.
^Kumar, Raj (2003). Essays on Indian Art and Architecture. Discovery Publishing House. p. 12. ISBN 978-81-7141-715-5.
^ abV.D, Mahajan (2016). Ancient India. S. Chand Publishing. pp. 270–271. ISBN 9789352531325.
MauryanartMauryanart is art produced during the period of the Mauryan Empire, the first empire to rule over most of the Indian subcontinent, between...
Mauryan polish describes one of the frequent characteristics of architecture and sculptures of the Maurya Empire in India (325 to 185 BCE), which gives...
prominent after Mauryanart, the art of the Mauryan Empire (322 and 185 BCE). It is said to represent a "sharp break" with the previous Mauryan style, either...
India Rasa (art) Other Indian Art and Architecture forms Architecture of India Indo-Greek artArt of Mathura Gupta artMauryanart Kushan art Sundari painting...
the Mauryan period has been estimated to be between 15 and 30 million. The empire's period of dominion was marked by exceptional creativity in art, architecture...
artifacts may date to this period, just before the Mauryan era. The surviving art of the Mauryan Empire which ruled, at least in theory, over most of...
Indian subcontinent, erected—or at least inscribed with edicts—by the 3rd Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great, who reigned from c. 268 to 232 BC. Ashoka used...
to be dated to the 3rd century BCE, as it has the fine Mauryan polish associated with Mauryanart, but this is also found on later sculptures and it is...
monument of Indian Architecture. It was originally commissioned by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus was a simple...
Capital of Ashoka is the capital, or head, of a column erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in Sarnath, India, c. 250 BCE. Its crowning features are...
and about 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi) from Gandhara. During the reign of Mauryan emperor Ashoka, Lomas Rishi Cave was excavated and gifted to the Ajivikas...
historical site located in West Champaran district of Bihar. Remains of Mauryan period have been found here. Lauriya has 15 Stupa mounds in three rows...
the site revealed a Mauryan coin and a number of Mauryan bricks from a square shaped temple, suggesting the torso is from the Mauryan period. The Lohanipur...
finish, an exclusive feature of Mauryan architecture and sculpture, first derived through the media of Achaemenid art after the disintegration of the...
British. Magadh has contributed a lot to the Indian culture. Mauryanart is the first imperial art in India. Ashokan pillars are unique and their incredible...
official S.M. Jamdhar as its special officer. India portal Sannati Kanakagiri Mauryan Empire Rediscovering Ashoka, Vithal C Nadkarni, The Times of India, 22...
The Asiatic Society's James Prinsep. It led to the rediscovery of the Mauryan emperor and the unearthing of the full extent of his empire. The inscription...
zebu bull. The abacus in particular displays a strong influence of Greek art: it is composed of honeysuckles alternated with stylized palmettes and small...
Indian art Architecture of India Indo-Greek artArt of Mathura Mauryanart Kushan art Hoysala architecture Vijayanagara architecture Greco-Buddhist art Chola...
Sonari is the archaeological site of an ancient monastic complex of Buddhist stupas. The site, positioned on a hill, is located about 10 km southwest of...
Charumati Stupa (also known as Chabahil Stupa, and Dhan Dhoj Stupa) is a stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was built by Charumati, daughter of the Indian emperor...
of the Ashokan Pataliputra. Didarganj Yakshi remains as an example of Mauryanart. Takht Sri Patna Sahib is one of the Five Takhts of Sikhism and consecrates...
built over the remains of an even older stupa that had been built by the Mauryan emperor King Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE The stupa was believed to have...
Greek designs, that was discovered in the palace ruins of the ancient Mauryan Empire capital city of Pataliputra (modern Patna, northeastern India)....
Indian Art: A Detailed Study of the Formative Period of Indian Art and Architecture, Third and Second Centuries B.C., Mauryan and Late Mauryan. B.R. Publishing...
Western carcasses, Lutyens drew also from the much earlier Buddhist Mauryanart. This can be seen in the Dehli Order, and in the main dome, where the...
The Shunga art style differed somewhat from imperial Mauryanart, which was influenced by Persian art. In both, continuing elements of folk art and cults...