The stylistic evolution of Buddhist sculptures
View(s):Buddhist Sculpture of Sri Lanka -
by Ulrich Von Shroeder. Reviewed by
Ismeth Raheem
The seated Samadhi Buddha statue at Gal Viharaya, Polonnaruwa
‘Buddha Sculptures of Sri Lanka’, Ulrich von Schroeder’s magnum opus is in many ways a beguilingly beautiful study with a wealth of sculptural forms representing the Buddha and the legends connected with him and describing the special details connected with his life and times. Often surprisingly the author describes the deep-seated relationship with Buddhist art.
First published in 1990, its 752 pages are closely packed with 1589 illustrations and text. Forty copies of this important volume, now valued on Amazon at US$500, have been generously gifted by the author to be distributed to the various institutions, museums and universities in Sri Lanka. Some copies have already been handed over to the Colombo University,
the Department of
National Archives and
other institutions.
The Buddhist Sculptures of Sri Lanka still remains as the first (and only) full length detailed documentation and study of the Buddhist sculptures in this country. By every standard the author has succeeded in documenting every item from the tiniest intaglio images (and ivories) to the largest monumental rock cut sculptures.
Although publications on archeological research and studies have been available for more than a century, we lacked comprehensive coverage of the sculpture of Buddhist images in Sri Lanka. The void was largely due to the fact that the archaeological sites in which such Buddhist art and sculpture are to be found are in remote areas and hardly visited by researchers. No doubt, the Department of Archaeology and its successor the Cultural Triangle have brought out many such publications, the majority published more or less annually- but they have been limited in scope.
Samadhi Goddess (late Anuradhapura Period 7th-8th Century)- National Museum, Colombo
This task is made ever more difficult as works related to Buddhist sculpture in our country span over a period exceeding 2,000 years.
It is the sort of project not for the faint-hearted. An islandwide survey accessing the most remote jungle sites to track down long forgotten locations no doubt can be a mind-boggling undertaking.
What was so badly needed was a serious study of Buddhist heritage and its culture with a scientific approach to dating some of these important works of art. Von Schroeder’s text focuses on the stylistic evolution of Buddhist sculptures in
Sri Lanka and traces some of the origins in India. It also tackles the controversial issues such as the evolution of the Buddha statue and the concept of the andromorphic representation in Buddhist sculptural art.
The text describes the extent to which Andhra Pradesh in South India paid an important role and influence in the development of Sri Lankan Buddhist sculpture. There are also interesting nuggets of information between the sculpture of the Buddha’s image introduced from Sri Lanka to sites in Thailand both in Ayutthaya and Sukothai.
An interesting aspect of the text are the various cults that existed in Sri Lanka around the 9th to 12th century. The author discusses the various symbolic forms like the footprint, throne and other symbols which were in use even before the representation of the Buddha in human form.
Von Schroeder has added a comprehensive bibliography and an excellent glossary of terms used in Buddhist art. The overall text details the various features and postures that the sculptors used when representing the Buddha.
The author’s approach has transformed our knowledge not only of the art but also the civilization that produced these wonderful cultural objects.
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