Buddhist Art

In the earliest Buddhist art of India, the Buddha was not represented in human form. His presence was usually indicated by something like "a footprint, an empty seat, a parasol, or a stupa." Then was introduced a human figure of Buddha which was a prevailing subject matter in India. Dressed in a basic robe, the image displayed two signs of his superhuman perfection. The ushnisha (cranial bump, seemingly looking as a top knot) represented his indefinite knowledge, and the urna (or curl of hair on the forehead) symbolized his abandonment from the previous accepted religion, as well as the elongated ears. Soon, varying image types appeared in India. In ancient Gandhara (now Pakistan and Afghanistan), sculptors combined artistic elements from the Hellenistic world with Indian Buddhism to create a new artistic image. …