Amaravati School of Arts
The Amaravati school of art, which flourished for nearly six centuries in the lower Krishna–Godavari valley of the eastern Deccan, is one of the three great schools of ancient Indian sculpture, alongside Mathura and Gandhara, and is especially renowned for its narrative reliefs illustrating the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales. For UPSC History Optional aspirants, Amaravati art is significant both for its distinctive stylistic features — carved in white marble, with slender, sensuous figures — and for its clearly documented four-stage stylistic evolution from the 3rd/2nd century BC to the 3rd century AD, as well as its close thematic parallels with Mathura art. This article examines the origins, patronage, and general features of the Amaravati school, before tracing its four periods of development in detail.
Amaravati School of Arts
- In the eastern Deccan, in the lower valleys of the Krishna and Godavari rivers, the Amaravati school of art developed over a period of nearly six centuries, commencing around 200–100 BC.
- It was patronised first by the Satavahanas, and later by the Ikshvakus, as well as by other groups — political dignitaries, families, officials, merchants, and others.
- Inspired by Buddhist themes, the main centres of this art were Nagarjunakonda, Amaravati, Goli, Ghantasala, Jaggayyapeta, and others.
- The Amaravati school of art occupies a pre-eminent position in the history of Indian art; with its beginnings in the 3rd century BC, Amaravati unfolds its chapters through a galaxy of sculptural wealth that adorned the Mahachaityas (great stupas).
- The sculptural forms come to us from the railings, plinths, and other parts of several stupas.
- The reliefs represent the traditional narrative art, taking themes from the Buddha’s life and from the Jataka stories.
- For example, on a relief medallion at Amaravati is depicted the story of the taming of an elephant by the Buddha, and the commotion preceding it.
- The whole story has been depicted by the sculptor in a natural way: an infuriated elephant approaching the Buddha on a street; men and women frightened, with men throwing up their hands and women clinging to the men; the Buddha moving towards the elephant in a spirit of adoration and humility; the elephant kneeling down in submission; and the entire episode being watched by men and women from balconies and windows.
- The general features of Amaravati art are:
- the figures are carved from white marble;
- they are well modelled, with long legs and slender frames;
- physical beauty and sensual expression dominate this art;
- though nature is depicted, the central characters are human beings; and
- kings, princes, and palaces figure prominently in the sculptural representations.
- The lotus and purnakumbha (full pot) motifs are typical of Amaravati art, expressing auspiciousness and abundance.
- White marble was used in this art, and its themes were the life of the Buddha and the Jataka tales; the curly hair of the Buddha is a feature influenced by the Greeks.
- Among the events of the Buddha’s life, the most popular to be depicted are: his descent from heaven in the form of a white elephant; Queen Maya’s conception; the casting of his horoscope after birth; the great renunciation; the transportation of Gautama’s head-dress to heaven; the scene of temptation; Naga Muchalinda protecting the Buddha from rain with his hood; the first sermon; and the mahaparinirvana, represented by the stupa.
- In thematic treatment, there is a striking similarity in certain cases with Mathura.
- For example, a relief panel at Amaravati showing a group of six bathing women with water pots is very close to such depictions at Mathura.
- Just as we have representations of Kushana kings from Mathura in the form of individual statues, we find kings and princes represented as themes in Amaravati sculpture as well; however, at Amaravati, these are not individual statues, but part of a narrative.
- For example, the story of King Udayana and his queen is depicted on a relief; a relief medallion depicts a court scene in which the king is receiving presents; and a relief panel depicts a scene of a king on the march, with elephants, horse-riders, and footmen.
Four Different Periods
- Amaravati art shows a distinct evolution toward maturity of style over a period of five hundred years; through its successive stages, one may observe an advance in technique and refinement.
First Period (200–100 BC)
- The first period is evidenced at Jaggayyapeta, where a few decorative slabs at the base of the stupa have been found; these slabs depict pilasters at intervals, with animals above bell-shaped capitals, and devotees adoring the Buddha, who is represented symbolically.
- The earliest examples from Jaggayyapeta date back to 150 BC; in these, the figures are isolated units and are not interrelated within a single composition.
- However, “one can see here the beginning of that tall and slender human frame which is so characteristic an ethnic form in the narrative reliefs of the Krishna valley, and later, of Pallava sculpture.”
- In later narrative reliefs, the figures are well-shaped and interrelated.
Second Period (100 BC – AD 100)
- The casing slabs above the platform are attributed to the second period; these slabs contain superposed panels depicting the Buddha in preaching form, and the figures are more graceful and natural than those of the first period.
- They depict the principal scenes of the Buddha’s life, the Buddha almost always being represented by a symbol, though in two or three places he is personified — the earliest cases of his personification on record.
- The sculpture showing Siddhartha leaving his palace on his journey is typical of this symbolic representation.
Third Period (AD 150)
- The railing round the stupa was carved during this period; an inscription records that additions were made to the stupa in the reign of Vasishthiputra Sri Pulamavi (of the Satavahana dynasty), and Tibetan tradition associates the Buddhist Acharya Nagarjuna with the construction of the rail.
- The sculptures form the high-water mark of this school, and the most outstanding in the whole of India.
- A new feature, absent in the earlier sculptures of Amaravati, is the delineation of different planes: the figures of the first plane are carved in deep relief, and the depth of cutting gradually diminishes with the successive planes.
- Most remarkable of all is the skill displayed in the representation of scenes of action.
- The sculptures of Nagarjunakonda, on light-green limestone, were a sequel to the Amaravati school, beginning contemporaneously with the third period of Amaravati art; the panels on the carved vertical slabs contained scenes illustrating the Jatakas.
Fourth Period (AD 200 onward)
- The casing slabs of the fourth period show richer and more elaborate carvings than the rail; the figures in the sculptures of this period tend to grow taller and slimmer.
- One also sees the finest miniature sculptures on the small circular bosses, in the friezes, and on the casing slabs.
- The statues of the Buddha dating from the 3rd century AD are magnificent and powerful creations; the features are full, and the body is far from slender, with an expression that is aristocratic and benign, and the head crowned with short, curly hair.
