Showing posts with label Greco-Buddhist Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greco-Buddhist Art. Show all posts

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Terracotta Army


We just learned about the sculpture of The Buddha, flanked by Herakles and Tychee.

Another famous set of sculptures is the Terracotta Army made in China around 200 BC.

When the Emperor of China Qin Shi Huang died, he was put into a tomb with over 8,000 sculptures in it.
These were small sculptures of soldiers, chariots, horses, acrobats and musicians that were buried with him as they believed these soldiers would protect the Emperor in the afterlife.

These thousands of soldiers all had real weapons like spears, swords or arrows.
Many of these weapons have been stolen, but people believe there were over 40,000 weapons in the original sculpture.
The statues were all painted at first, but the paint has all worn off.

The place where these sculptures were buried with the emperor was part of a very large cemetery area that was about 38 square miles.
There were people that visited it long ago and wrote about it saying that there were miniature palaces, towers, 100 rivers of flowing mercury, and paintings on the ceiling of heaven.

Over the thousands of years, many things have been stolen or broken, but there are still thousands of sculptures there to see.


(from: wikipedia - terracotta army)



(from: wikipedia - terracotta army)



(from: wikipedia - terracotta army)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Fontana Maggiore

Saturday, March 17, 2018

The Buddha, flanked by Herakles and Tychee


We just learned about the Bharhat Stupa.

Another sculpture from ancient Asia is The Buddha, flanked by Herakles and Tychee.

When the Greeks came through Asia, many of their stories about Greek mythology were told to people in the area, so when someone made a statue of the wise man Buddha, they put sculptures of the Greek characters Herakles and Tychee.

(from: wikipedia - greco-buddhist art)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Siena Cathedral Pulpit

Saturday, March 10, 2018

Bharhat Stupa


We just learned about the Kushan Maitreya.

Another work of art in Asia is the Bharhat Stupa, made around 100 BC.

The artwork for this place shows some styles that are a lot like Greek artwork, and also some marks from different types of artists in different areas.
This means the artwork was probably made over several years, with a lot of different people helping.

It was made so long ago and was almost destroyed and buried, so people had to dig it up and try to figure out who made it based on the carvings.

Most of the carvings tell the story of Buddha, a famous wise person from Asia.


(from: wikipedia - bharhut)


(from: wikipedia - bharhut)

Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Portals at Reims Cathedral

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Kushan Maitreya


We just learned about the Vajrasana, Bodh Gaya.

Another ancient Asian sculpture is the Kushan Maitreya.

This is a sculpture of the Bodhisattva, which are people seeking enlightenment.
The statue is made in the same style as the Greek mythological characters like Zeuss.

(from: wikipedia - greco-buddhist art)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Portals at Chartres Cathedral

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Vajrasana, Bodh Gaya


We just learned about the Bimaran Casket.

Another famous ancient art from Asia is the Vajrasana, Bodh Gaya.

Long ago there was a famous person called the Buddha who worked to try and figure out the best ways for people to live.

One famous place where he sat and meditated was saved, and sculptures were placed on and around it to remember the Buddha.

The word Vajrasana means diamond throne, and Bodh Gaya was the place where the throne was made.


(from: wikipedia - vajrasana, bodh gaya)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Pórtico da Gloria - Mateo

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Bimaran Casket


We just learned about the Gandhara Stone Palettes.

Another example of art in Asia that has some Greek style is the Bimaran Casket, made around 50 AD in Afghanistan.

This is a golden container that has pictures of Buddha on the outside.
Buddha was a very important and wise person in Eastern Asia.
The pictures of Buddha on this container show him dressed and standing in a way that is a lot like Greek sculptures, so people think this was either done by Greek people who came through Afghanistan, or Greeks helped teach other people in the area how to do sculptures.


(from: wikipedia - bimarian casket)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Tympanum at Vézelay Abbey - Gislebertus

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Gandhara Stone Palettes


We just learned about the Pataliputra Capital.

Another example of Greek sculpture found in Asia are the Gandhara Stone Palettes.

These are small plates with sculputres on them that were made over 2,000 years ago in areas now known as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Lots of plates have been found showing artwork of stories from Greek mythology like Apollo and Daphne, Athena, Herakles, Poseidon or Aphrodite.

This image is of a sea nymph called a Nereid, riding a giant sea monster called a Ketos.


(from: wikipedia - greco-buddhist art)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Prophet Jeremiah At Mosaic Abbey

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Pataliputra Capital


We just learned about the Lion Capital of Ashoka.

Another famous sculpture from ancient India is the Pataliputra Capital.

It is over 4 feet long, and about 3 feet tall, and it was made over 2,000 years ago.
Even though it was made in India, it looks like a Classical Greek sculpture, so people think that the it was either given as a gift, or that the Greek people taught some other people in the area how to do sculptures the same way they did.

(from: wikipedia - pataliputra capital)


Kid Facts - Blast from the past: Last Judgement Typanum - Gislebertus