Syncretism in Buddhist Art
This exercise will help you to understand syncretism, in particular how it influenced Buddhist art. Complete Steps 1—5 and then answer the question that follows.
Review Map 4.1, The Spread of Early Christianity and Buddhism, on page 191. How might the spread of both Buddhism and Christianity have influenced religious art?
Next, examine the image, Chinese Landscape Paintings. How might the physical characteristics of a place have influenced Buddhist art? What religious influences are evident here?
How is the Chinese Landscape Painting similar to or different from the painting of Confucius, baby Buddha, and Laozi?
Next, consider the variety of Buddhist images in Chapter 4: The Classic Indian Buddha; Visual Source 4.2, A Gandhara Buddha; Visual Source 4.3, A Bodhisattva of Compassion; and Visual Source 4.4, The Chinese Maitreya Buddha. What characteristics differentiate the various Buddhist images from each other? What are the similarities among them?
Consider the following secondary source quote: “The artists at that time incorporated many classical Greek mythologies in their interpretation of the Buddhist legends. They tended to make Buddhist art more realistic, by giving these objects a more humanistic form.” In what ways does Visual Source 4.2 support this quote? Compare Visual Source 4.2 to the Classic Indian Buddha. What gives Visual Source 4.2 a more human feel?
Concluding Question
Based on the visual evidence in Chapter 4, what would you conclude about syncretism in South Asia from 500 B.C.E.500 C.E.?