What is meant by Gupta art?
Gupta art is the art of the Gupta Empire, which ruled most of northern India, with its peak between about 300 and 480 CE, surviving in much reduced form until c. 550. The Gupta period is generally regarded as a classic peak and golden age of North Indian art for all the major religious groups.
Why is Gupta period known as golden age of art and architecture?
This period became known as the Golden Age of India because it was marked by extensive inventions and discoveries in science, technology, engineering, art, dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy.
Are the best examples of architecture during the Gupta period?
The earliest examples of religious architecture were cave-temples which typically had exteriors decorated with relief sculpture and a single carved doorway. Here in one shrine is one of the finest examples of Gupta art, the celebrated relief showing Vishnu in his incarnation as the boar-headed Varaha.
What are the two features of Gupta painting?
Two distinguishing features of the Gupta Sculpture are: The Gupta Sculpture discarded foreign influence and adopted a style that was totally Indian in character. The techniques of carving and the subjects chosen were purely of Indian origin. Several varieties of mudras (poses) were used.
Who built Ajanta caves?
20 caves were built during the Vakataka dynasty, during the reign of Harisena, and at the end of his reign, these caves were abandoned. Inside the caves, you can see paintings depicting the life of Gautam Buddha, and also stories from Jataka Tales.
What are the salient features of Gupta art?
Most prominent architectural marvels of Gupta period are temples. Most of the temples built in the Gupta era were carved with representation of Gods (mainly avatara of Vishnu and Lingams) and Goddesses. The Shikhara was not much prominent in the early Gupta temples but was prominent in later Gupta era.
What is the golden period in Indian art?
Gupta period
Gupta period is regarded as the golden period in Indian Art History. Refinement came in the representation of the human figures. Some of the most important art centres during this period were Mathura, Sarnath, Ujjain, Ahichhatraand others.
Who was the golden period of India and played Veena?
Notes: Samudragupta was an expert ‘ Veena’ player and adopted the title of Kaviraj (King of poets). He was not only a great warrior but also a great patron of art and literature.
How can you say that art and architecture made a great progress in the Gupta Period?
Art and architecture gained great heights during the Gupta Period. Many temples were built. The temples at Deogarh, Sanchi, and Bhittargaon are very famous. The 29 cave temples at Ajanta near Aurangabad in Maharashtra and Bagh in Madhya Pradesh were also built during this period.
What are the main features of Gupta paintings?
Architecture, sculpture and painting. The Gupta sculptures exhibit a gracious dignity never to be repeated again in Indian sculpture. Plain robes flowing over the bodies appear as though they are transparent. Transparent drapery is used not to reveal the charms of the flesh but to conceal them.
Who destroyed Ajanta caves?
2. In 1682, A muslim ruler Aurangzeb hired 1000 workers for three years only to destroy this temple completely.
How Ajanta caves were built?
The caves were built in two phases, the first starting around the 2nd century BCE and the second occurring from 400 to 650 CE, according to older accounts, or in a brief period of 460–480 CE according to later scholarship.
What was the art and architecture of the Gupta Empire?
The Gupta empire art and architecture is very much diverse in its design, style and characteristic features. Gupta Art and architecture includes temples, sculptures and paintings. They were the first rulers to build Hindu cave temples in India. The rock cut cave temple architecture in India reached its peak during Gupta period.
Who are the major gods in Gupta art?
Both Buddhist and Hindu sculpture concentrate on large, often near life-size, figures of the major deities, respectively Buddha, Vishnu and Shiva. The dynasty had a partiality to Vishnu, who now features more prominently, where the Kushan imperial family generally had preferred Shiva.
Where are the Buddhist temples of the Gupta period?
Cave Temples Buddhist rock cut temples of Gupta period are located at Ajanta, Maharashtra and at Bagh, Madhya Pradesh. Guptas also built first Hindu cave temples at Udayagiri, Madhya Pradesh. These are Vaishnava temples.
What was the Golden Age of Architecture in India?
The Gupta Period (4th-7th A.D.) is often described as “the Golden Age of art and architecture in India”. The initial phase of the Gupta architecture was primarily Buddhist but in the later phase Hindu influence became dominant. Some of the finest images of Buddha are products of this style of art.