-
Period: 6 BCE to 5 BCE
Buddhist art orginated in the indian subcontinent .
it was in the centuries following the life of the historical Gautama Buddha. This is before evolving through its contact with other cultures and its diffusion through the rest of Asia and the world.
https://slife.org/culture-of-buddhism/ -
Period: 5 BCE to 1 CE
Historical scriptures of life of the Buddha.
The Indian artists would make scriptures which revolved around the themes of the historical life of the Buddha and the previous lives of the Buddha.
https://slife.org/culture-of-buddhism/ -
Period: 4 BCE to 6 BCE
The succeeding Gupta period
The succeeding Gupta period, from the fourth to the sixth century A.D., in northern India, sometimes referred to as a Golden Age, witnessed the creation of an “ideal image” of the Buddha.
Gupta Buddhas have their hair arranged in tiny individual curls, and the robes have a network of strings to suggest drapery folds (as at Mathura) or are transparent sheaths (as at Sarnath).
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/budd/hd_budd.htm -
3 BCE
The Great Stupa
The Great Stupa was built in 3rd century B.C. by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in Sanchi, India. The dome stands at 120 feet high and 54 feet wide and reflects heaven enclosing the earth, and is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments in the country. https://www.invaluable.com/blog/buddhist-art/ -
1 CE
Aniconic phase
This was followed from around the 1st century CE (to present) by an iconic phase (with direct representations of the Buddha). Buddhist art diversified and evolved. It developed to the north through Central Asia and into Eastern Asia to form the Northern branch of Buddhist art, and to the east as far as Southeast Asia to form the Southern branch of Buddhist art (the Buddha was given realistic human features and proportions.)
https://slife.org/culture-of-buddhism/ -
1 CE
Buddha Statue
The statues of Buddha himself became popularized. These relics helped to expand the teachings of the religion and inspired creators to adopt this symbol in a variety of ways. https://www.invaluable.com/blog/buddhist-art/ -
21
Following centuries
Buddhism introduced the concept of heavenly bodhisattvas as well as goddesses, of whom the most popular was Tara. In Nepal and Tibet, where exquisite metal images and paintings were produced, new divinities were created and portrayed in both sculpture and painted scrolls. The Images of a more esoteric nature, depicting god and goddess in embrace, were produced to demonstrate the metaphysical concept that salvation resulted from the union of wisdom (female) and compassion (male). -
Period: 1243 to 1252
Daibutsu
“Great Buddha,” the Daibutsu is a reflection of the importance of Buddhism’s reach outside of its country of origin. Located in Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, this bronze statue was created inside the Kotoku-in Temple in 1252. The original version of this statue was wooden, and funded by Lady Inada back in 1243.
This symbol in art takes over 3,000 different forms across India, Japan, Sri Lanka, and other neighboring countries as well.
https://www.invaluable.com/blog/buddhist-art/ -
1578
Gedun Truppa, 1st Dalai Lama
The institution of the Dalai Lama is one that can be traced back to 1578 C.E., and serves as a spiritual leader to Buddhist culture in Tibet. There are four major schools of the Tibetan Buddhist religion, and while all honor the Dalai Lama and his teachings, he is most revered in the Gelug sector.
Gedun Truppa, named after its subject, features the first Dalai Lama from Tibet in the 17th and 18th century. It also translates to “ocean of wisdom” and embodies compassion, peace and reason.