Later Buddhist Art
Artist: unknown
Title: Buddha, standing, displaying abhayamudra
Material: Chunar sandstone
Site: Sarnath, near Varanasi, India
Current Location: Sarnath Museum, India
Period/Date: Gupta (dated 473-474 C.E.)
Iconography/Iconology: Standing traditional image of the Buddha, displaying
abhayamudra with his right hand and holding the folds of his robe in his
left hand.
Stylistic Comments: One of literally dozens of nearly identical images,
this dated piece precisely allocates the style to the 3rd quarter of the
5th century. The near nudity of the body is carried to an extreme in Gupta
sculpture, and the robes have been reduced to a nearly schematic outline
around the edges of the sculpture. The only real detailing on the robe
in the body area itself is the cowl.
