The Post-Mauryan Age (200 BCE – 300 CE) marked a significant phase in the cultural history of India. With the growth of trade, urbanization, and the patronage of foreign as well as indigenous rulers, the field of art and architecture witnessed remarkable progress. This period gave rise to three distinct schools of sculpture—Gandhara Art, Mathura Art, and Amaravati Art—each reflecting unique styles, materials, and religious influences. Together, they represent the evolution of Post-Mauryan Art and Architecture, blending indigenous traditions with foreign elements and laying the foundation for the classical art of later centuries.
I. Gandhara Art
Gandhara art flourished in northwestern India. It began during the Indo-Greek period and reached its peak under the patronage of the Kushans. Pushkalavati and Taxila in the Gandhara region became the main centers of this art.
Main features of Gandhara Art:
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Gandhara art is a mixed style, born out of the fusion of Indian and Greek traditions. It is often called Indo-Greek Art.
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Gandhara art was entirely Buddhist in nature. Sculptors created only images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. Figures of other religions are not found in this style.
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The Gandhara sculptors gave importance to physical beauty, neglecting spiritual expression. They sculpted the Buddha with long curly hair, garments with deep folds, muscular bodies, and handsome physical features. Spirituality is absent in these figures.
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Gandhara artists mainly used black stone for their sculptures.
The colossal Buddha statues built at Bamiyan (Afghanistan) were the largest in the world. The 175-feet tall Buddha statue was the most famous. UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage Site, but unfortunately, in 2001, the Taliban destroyed these sculptures. At Shaji-ki-Dheri near Peshawar (Pakistan), the stupa built by Kanishka revealed sculptures of Buddha along with Indra and Brahma.
II. Mathura Art
In the Gangetic-Yamuna plains, Mathura became the main center of this art form. Though it began under the patronage of the Shakas, Mathura art reached its highest peak during the Kushan period. While both Gandhara and Mathura arts flourished under the Kushans, they are completely different from each other.
Main features of Mathura Art:
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Unlike Gandhara art, which shows strong Greek influence, Mathura art was purely indigenous with no foreign influence.
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Gandhara art was confined to Mahayana Buddhism alone, but Mathura artists created sculptures of deities from all religions. These include naked Jain Tirthankaras, Buddha and Bodhisattvas, the Hindu Trimurtis and their consorts, demi-gods, and even secular figures. The headless statue of Kanishka found at Mathura stands as a fine example of Mathura sculptural excellence.
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While Gandhara artists emphasized physical beauty, Mathura artists stressed spiritual expression.
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The main material used was red sandstone.
III. Amaravati Art
In the post-Mauryan period, Amaravati in the lower Krishna–Godavari valley became the center of this art form. The ancient city, then known as Dhanyakataka, is located on the banks of the Krishna River in present-day Guntur district. Amaravati art developed under the patronage of the Satavahanas and later their successors, the Ikshvakus.
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The sculptors of Amaravati carved Buddha’s life stories on limestone slabs (marble-like white stone), which are known as Ayaka slabs. Before the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism (2nd century CE), Buddha was not represented in human form. Instead, symbols like the lotus, riderless horse, stupa, Bodhi tree, empty throne, footprints, and umbrella were used to depict him.
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Buddha and Bodhisattva statues carved by Amaravati sculptors have been found in Amaravati, Jaggayyapeta, Bhattiprolu, and Nagarjunakonda.
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The massive stupa built at Amaravati stands as testimony to the skill of its sculptors. Sadly, this stupa collapsed during the 14th century CE.
The **Post-Mauryan schools of art—Gandhara, Mathura, and Amaravati—**not only reflect the socio-religious transformations of their time but also symbolize India’s cultural synthesis. While Gandhara art reveals Indo-Greek influence, Mathura art highlights indigenous traditions, and Amaravati art demonstrates regional creativity under the Satavahanas and Ikshvakus. Together, they enriched the legacy of Post-Mauryan Art and Architecture, paving the way for the flowering of Gupta art and setting milestones in the history of Indian sculpture.