Buddhist Art in India

This English edition of Buddhistische Kunst in Indien originally published by Grünwedelin 1893, brings early Buddhist art to an English-speaking audience. The author presented this work to the Royal Asiatic Society to engage readers with the artistic traditions of ancient India. He first introduces pre-Buddhist Indian art before exploring the Buddhist art that emerged in the early centuries bce, spanning the Mauryan and post-Mauryan periods. More specifically, he examines icons, panels, statues, and other art forms that narrate events from Buddha’s time, including Buddhist hagiographies and texts such as the Jatakas. The book also depicts various animals connected to Buddha’s life. Grünwedel provides detailed discussion of Gandhara art emphasizing its depiction of Buddha in human form – a style influenced by inter­actions between Greek scholars, rulers, artisans, and the local populace. The volume also focuses on representations of Buddha and Bodhisattvas analyzing artistic styles to Maitreya, Avalokiteshvara, Manjusri, and Kashyapa Buddha. These styles flourished in the North-West Frontier Province (NWEP) of India and extended to regions such as Japan, China, and Tibet.