This document compares and contrasts the Mathura and Gandhara schools of art from the Kushan period in India. It outlines several key differences between the two schools, including their geographic areas, materials used, outside influences, religious influences depicted, later influences, architectural and sculptural features, depictions of Buddha's life, and Buddha iconography. Some of the main differences highlighted are that the Gandhara school was based in modern-day Pakistan and influenced by Greek, Roman and Persian styles, while the Mathura school had indigenous Indian influences. The Gandhara school depicted Buddha in realistic, yogic poses and emphasized spiritual themes and life depictions, while the Mathura school showed Buddha in graceful, seated poses and

1. Comparative Study
of
Mathura &
Gandhara Schools of Art
(Art of Kushan Period)
Sachin Kr. Tiwary

2. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural Specimens
7. Features of Buddha Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
I. Many more

3. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Remains of Findings
5. Religious Influence
6. Later Influence
7. Art of Architectural Specimens
8. Features of Buddha Sculptures
9. Buddha’s Life Depiction
10. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
Bluish-Grey stone
Grey stone
Lime stone
Stucco
White Spotted Red
Sandstone

4. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Had Influence of earlier Yaksha images
2. Indigenous Art
3. It was inspired by the early Indian
Buddhist arts of Bodhgaya, Bharhut and
Sanchi
4. Gandhara Influence on Later phase of
Mathura School of Art
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Persian
2. Greek
3. Roman
4. Chinese
5. Indian

5. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Vaidik-Pauranik/Vedic-Puranic/Hinduism
(both Vaishnav and Shavite images)
2. Buddhism
3. Jainism
4. Secularism/Folk
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Buddhism
2. Hinduism
3. Greek
4. Zoroastrian

6. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Gupta Art (Sarnath School of Art)
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Turkistan, Mangolia, China, Japan
Till 7th -8th Cen. CE

7. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Art on Railings, Umbrella
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
1. Mural Painting
2. Art on Relic Casket

8. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
I. Delighted Buddha
II. Less Spiritual
III. Muscularity
IV. Graceful Posture
V. Seated in Padmasana (Mostly)
VI. Budhha with other monks such as
Padmapani and Vajrapani
VII. Halo decorated with elephant nail and
other geometric decoration
VIII. Sarvatobhadrika image of 4 Jain Jinas
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
I. Spiritual Buddha
II. Sad Buddha
III. Bearded Buddha
IV. Highly Ornamentation
V. Great Detailing
VI. Budhha in Yogi Posture
VII. Halo without decoration

9. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Painting
F. Human Anatomy
G. Forehead
H. Head
MATHURA SCHOOL OF ART
1. The life incident of Buddha in art is very
less
GANDHARA SCHOOL OF ART
1. The life incident of Buddha in art is very
high

10. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Forehead-Urna
F. Human Anatomy
G. Head

11. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Forehead
F. Human Anatomy
G. Head

12. Indication of differences
1. Area
2. Used Material
3. Outside Influence
4. Religious Influence
5. Later Influence
6. Art of Architectural
Specimens
7. Features of Buddha
Sculptures
8. Buddha’s Life Depiction
9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Human Anatomy
F. Forehead-Urna
G. Head

13. 9. Buddha Iconography
A. Mustache
B. Cloths
C. Crown
D. Slipper/Shoe
E. Human Anatomy
F. Forehead-Urna
G. Head
H. Ear
I. Eye
J. Lip
K. Size of forehead
L. Hair
Gandhara-Eyes are longer; ear lobes shorter and noses sharper and better defined, Wavy hair.
Mathura- Wider eyes; longer ear lobes, thicker lips, and prominent nose, Curly hair.
Indication of differences

14. Gandhara school of art
1. The Gandhara school of art had grown around Peshawar (Presently in Pakistan) in Northwest India, during the rule
of Indo-Greek rulers but the real patrons of Gandhara school of art were the Sakas and the Kushanas, Kanishka in
particular.
2. Many artists from West Asia had settled down in the north-west of India after the Greek invasions and during the
period of the Kushanas further, they were deeply influenced by the Graeco-Roman art.
3. The Kushana kings, especially Kanishka, motivated the Gandhara artists to carve the themes from Buddha's life
and the jatakas thus a large number of the images of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas were produced.
4. Due to the application of Greek Techniques of art to the Buddhist subjects (beautiful images of the Buddha and
Bodhisattvas) the Gandhara School of Art is also known as the Graeco-Buddhist School of Art.
5. Almost all kinds of foreign influences like Greek, Roman, Persian, Saka and Kushan were assimilated in Gandhara
style.
6. Jalalabad, Begram, Hadda, Bamaran & Taxila were the main centres where art pieces of Gandhara School have
been found and the Bamyan Buddha of Afghanistan considered as an example of the Gandhara School.
7. Characteristics of Gandhara School of art
8. The reliefs of the Gandhara Sculpture depict Buddha s birth, his renunciation and his preaching and the best of the
sculptures were produced during the first and second centuries A.D.
9. The drapery was thick with large and bold fold lines also the human body was cast in a realistic manner with minute
attention being given to physical features like a moustache, muscles, and curly hair.
10.Since ruins of about fifteen monasteries were found in and around Peshawar and Rawalpindi thus it can be
concluded that during first to fourth centuries A.D a large number of monasteries were built. The graeco-roman
architectural impact was seen in form of an increase of height and additional ornamentation of the Buddhist stupas
erected between first to fifth centuries. Moreover, these changes further made the stupa attractive.

15. Mathura School of Art
1. Initially, in Gandhara style, a complex form of symbolism was present and Mathura style deviated from it
by establishing the tradition of transforming Buddhist symbols into human form accordingly Buddha s
first image can be traced to Kanishka s reign.
2. In Mathura, an indigenous style of sculpture developed, and it mostly used red sandstone.
3. Mathura School of art is famous for its assimilative character since the images of Vaishnava and Shaiva
faiths along with Buddhist images are in prevalence in Mathura style.
4. The images of Siva and Vishnu along with their consorts Parvathi and Lakshmi were also carved out in
the Mathura school moreover the female figures of yakshinis and apsaras of the Mathura school were
beautifully carved too. One thing to note that the images of Shiva and Vishnu were depicted by their
ayudhas (weapons).
5. The records of Jain Tirthankars are also found in Mathura Style.
6. In Mathura School of art which is noted for its vitality and assimilative character, Sarnath and Kausambi
also emerged as important centres of art production while the traditional centre, Mathura, remained the
main art production site. Many Buddha images in Sarnath have plain transparent drapery covering both
shoulders, and the halo around the head has very little ornamentation whereas the Mathura Buddha
images continue to depict folds of the drapery in the Buddha images and the halo around the head is
heavily decorated.

16. Any Question ?
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