Key Points

From the second century BCE, rulers like the Shungas, Kushanas, and Satvahanas succeeded the Mauryas. This period also saw the rise of major Brahmanical sects, including the Vaishnavas and the Shaivas.

Bharhut sculptures are tall, similar to Mauryan Yaksha images, and feature low relief with a strong linear quality. Narratives use a tilted perspective for depth, but figures often appear stiff and flat.

Sanchi Stupa-1 shows a clear artistic development from Bharhut. Its sculptures are in high relief, with more naturalistic postures, reduced stiffness, and elaborate narrative compositions on its four gateways (toranas).

From the first century CE, Gandhara (now in Pakistan), Mathura, and Vengi (in Andhra Pradesh) became three prominent centers of art production, each developing a distinct style.

A significant development was the transition from symbolic representation (like an empty throne or stupa) to the human form of the Buddha, which first occurred in the Gandhara and Mathura schools.

The Gandhara school shows a confluence of Bactrian, Parthian, and Greco-Roman (Hellenistic) influences. Buddha images from this school have wavy hair, anatomical accuracy, and drapery with sharp, clear folds.

The Mathura school was an indigenous tradition, modeling the Buddha on earlier Yaksha figures. These images have fleshy bodies, round smiling faces, and their garments cover the left shoulder.

Developing later, the Sarnath school is known for its refinement. Buddha images have slender, well-proportioned bodies, transparent drapery that reveals the form underneath, and a large, often plain, halo.

The stupas at Amaravati and other sites in Vengi are known for their dynamic and emotional sculptural forms. Figures are slender, show a lot of movement, and are often depicted in a three-bent pose (tribhanga).

Western India has numerous rock-cut Buddhist caves, primarily featuring two architectural types: Chaitya halls (prayer halls) and Viharas (monasteries). Key sites include Ajanta, Ellora, Karla, and Bhaja.

Ajanta is a world-famous site with 29 caves, renowned for its surviving paintings from the first century BCE and the fifth century CE. The themes are mainly from Jataka tales and the life of the Buddha.

The paintings are known for their rhythmic lines, the use of color to create volume, and expressive figures. The famous Padmapani Boddhisattva in Cave No. 1 exemplifies the soft modeling and emotional depth of this style.

Ellora is a unique site with 34 caves associated with three religions: Buddhism, Brahmanism (Hinduism), and Jainism. The art shows a confluence of many styles, with monumental and vigorous sculptures.

Located near Mumbai, the Elephanta Caves are contemporary with Ellora and are dominated by the Shaivite faith. They are famous for the massive, three-headed sculpture of Shiva known as Maheshmurti (or Trimurti).

In eastern India, rock-cut caves were excavated in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. The Udaigiri-Khandagiri caves near Bhubaneswar were meant for Jain monks, while Guntapalle in Andhra Pradesh is a key Buddhist cave site.