East Meets West at Gandara (Art no.13) by sandra46
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Description
Some wonderful pieces of Buddhist art from Gandara at the Museum of Oriental Art (MOA) in Turin, Italy.Italy has a special relation with the area, not only because of the centuries-old trade relations along the Silk Route between China and the Republic of Venice, but also because it hosted the last king of Afghanistan. Zahir Shah, who was in Italy to cure some ailments, lost his power after the 1973 coup d'état, which established a republican government, and lived in exile near Rome for twenty-nine years. In April 2002, while the country was under NATO occupation, Zahir Shah returned to Afghanistan to open the Loya Jirga, which met in June 2002.
Gandara is the name of an ancient kingdom located in northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan in the Valley of Peshawar and on the Kabul River. Its main cities were Purushapura (modern Peshawar), and Takshashila (modern Taxila). The Kingdom of Gandhara lasted from early 1st millennium BC to the 11th century AD. It attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century under the Buddhist Kushan Kings. Persian emperor Cyrus the Great (558–530 BC) built first the 'universal' empire, stretching from Greece to the Indus River. But culturally, Gandara belonged to the Indian, not to the Persian world.
By about 380 BC Persian hold on the region weakened. Many small kingdoms sprang up in Gandhara. In 327 BC Alexander the Great conquered Gandhara and the Indian Satrapies of the Persian Empire. Powerful Hellenistic states were established in the areas of Bactria and Sogdiana, and later northern India for three centuries following the conquests of Alexander the Great around 330 BCE: the Seleucid empire until 250 BCE, followed by the Greco-Bactrian kingdom until 130 BCE, and the Indo-Greek kingdom from 180 BCE to around 10 BCE.
During the Muslim period the area was administered from Lahore or from Kabul. During Mughal times the area was part of Kabul province.
Gandhara is noted for the distinctive Gandhara style of Buddhist art. Gandharan style flourished and achieved its peak during the Kushan period, from the 1st to the 5th century. It declined and suffered destruction after invasion of the White Huns in the 5th century. Greco-Buddhist art is characterized by the strong idealistic realism of Hellenistic art and the first representations of the Buddha in human form, which have helped define the artistic (and particularly, sculptural) canon for Buddhist art throughout the Asian continent up to the present. It is also a strong example of cultural syncretism between eastern and western traditions.
The Gandara artists were the first to make statues of Buddha, who was dressed in an Indian coat but standing like a Greek god, as you can see in this image.
Thanks for your kind comments.
Comments (39)
flora-crassella
fantastic image and history!!! WONDERFUL!!!!!
lyron
Fascinating!!!
MOSKETON
GENIAL.
wysiwig
Sadly much of this legacy was destroyed during the reign of the Taliban. This is a magnificent sculpture. Your presentation is outstanding. Thank you for the very informative commentary.
durleybeachbum
What a SUPERB image! and very interesting narrative.
magnus073
Wonderful image Sandra, and the detailed description was amazing. You always put such care into your work.
KarmaSong
An impressive shot, majestic and powerful, and I very much enjoyed reading the added notes . Superb work!
claude19
WONDERFUL comments from you Sandra ! Awesome shot for my eyes !!! Thanks !
carlx
Fantastic capture and mood!!!
ragouc
Well done.
jayfar
Superb.
brycek
Fantastic work!!
bazza
Superb image and history information Sandra..Excellent..
bmac62
very interesting info...well composed image. I need to go back and look at more from this series. Good show Sandra. Ciao
mgtcs
WOW....This is a splendid photo, gorgeous informations, loved the Buddhism and the art is really wonderful!
Faemike55
Very nice image and history, Sandra! I recognise the area as it is in the news with the massive flooding going on in the region
Miska7
Really nice artwork and capture! Very well done.
drifterlee
Awesome shot, Sandra!
Minda
superb image sandra.
jocko500
wonderful shot and pov
mickeyrony
Always a dramatic narrative to dominate your posts my Beatiful . Well done and thanks mile ((5 + +))
Radar_rad-dude
Wonderful and artistic manipulation! Most beautiful result! Fascinating descriptive as well! Bravo! Most splendid!
psyoshida
Very beautiful statue and superb photo. Thank you so much for the fascinating history. I'm a great history buff but I did not know this information. I'm grateful to learn it now. Wonderful.
renecyberdoc
yeah this alex the great was a great voyager,i could swear he had a lot of bonusmiles muahahahaha. nice bit of history.
danapommet
Super capture and textures (in the face and background). Dana
mariogiannecchini
Complimenti ! Veramente una bella immagine ! Ma devo dire che la cosa che mi colpisce di piu' e' ancora la tua spiegazione dei fatti , molto dettagliata e interessante .Buona giornata
jmb007
belle piece!!
dochtersions
Thank you for this fantastic and beautiful image an the history, Sandra.
Madbat
There seems to be quite a mix of influences in this statue
tennesseecowgirl
Terrific image!