Sunday, December 17, 2023

Gandharan Art and the Classical World: A Short Introduction

book cover

In the early centuries AD, the small region of Gandhara (centred on what is now northern Pakistan) produced an extraordinary tradition of Buddhist art which eventually had an immense influence across Asia. Mainly produced to adorn monasteries and shrines, Gandharan sculptures celebrate the Buddha himself, the stories of his life and the many sacred characters of the Buddhist cosmos. Since this imagery was rediscovered in the nineteenth century, one of its most fascinating and puzzling aspects is the extent to which it draws on the conventions of Greek and Roman art, which originated thousands of kilometres to the west.

Inspired by the Gandhara Connections project at Oxford University’s Classical Art Research Centre, this book offers an introduction to Gandharan art and the mystery of its relationship with the Graeco-Roman world of the Mediterranean. It presents an accessible explanation of the ancient and modern contexts of Gandharan art, the state of scholarship on the subject, and guidance for further, in-depth study.

H 245 x W 174 mm

94 pages

60 figures (colour throughout)

Published Dec 2023

Archaeopress Archaeology

ISBN

Paperback: 9781803276946

Digital: 9781803276953

DOI 10.32028/9781803276946

 

Contents

Preface

 

Chapter 1. What is Gandharan Art?

Chapter 2. Greece, Rome and Gandhara

Chapter 3. Gandharan Art Today

 

Further Reading and Resources

Bibliography

Full Captions and Image Credits

 

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