ARTH 101: Part III
Ravana Shaking Mount Kailasa (with Shiva and Parvati seated above). Originally from exterior of a Hindu temple. Sandstone. 54.75 ins. high. 8th century CE. Period: Medieval. South Asian.
According to followers of the branch of hinduism that considers Shiva to be the ultimate original creator of the universe, he takes on a mythological form and resides in his created world; his home is in the Himalaya Mountains, on Mount Kailasa, where he lives with his wife Parvati; In one episode of Shiva's mythology, he presses down his big toe to quell the ten-armed demon Ravana, who tried to steal Mount Kailasa and take it away to his island; as Ravana was trying to shake the mountain loose, Parvati turned and clung to Shiva in fear-the moment depicted in this magnificent sculpture, which once formed part of a temple exterior; it is thought that Shiva created the world for the sake of his own enjoyment, his lila or divine play, and emanated himself into all the beings of creation: gods and demons, humans and animals; he shrouded their awareness of the reality that they were in essence the god Shiva himself, so that they would perform the actions of his cosmic drama
Ashokan Pillar in India. ca. 246 BCE. Maurya. South Asian.
Ashoka was the grandson of Chandragupta, the founder of the Maurya Dynasty; Ashoka is such an important figure because he was the first emperor to unify the Indian subcontinent from Afghanistan in the north to Sri Lanka in the south. His reign spanned the middle of the third century CE, which means that he reigned not that long after Alexander the Great, who died in 323 BC. While Alexander did not make it past the Indus River, he left some of his generals in the region of India as governors; these men became independent Hellenistic kings ruling areas such as Bactria (which covers parts of modern Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan); Ashoka's grandfather actually defeated some of these Indo-Greek Hellenistic kings at the borders of what would become the Maurya Empire; although some people think that Alexander inspired the flourishing of stone sculpture in India under Ashoka, it is more likely that Ashoka was inspired by the Persian Empire; monumental public architecture in stone had been a hallmark of the Persian Empire (such as the great palace at Persepolis); among his most famous monuments are the Ashokan pillars--monumental, monolithic shafts of gleaming, polished sandstone that rise between 30 and 50 feet high; they are meant to appear as enormous tree trunks growing straight out of the ground; the Ashokan pillars taper slightly towards the top and have a fine, glassy polish; They are inscribed with edicts that explain who Ashoka was and that set forth his policies; the edicts describe for readers what they should do to adhere to dharma (political law, or ethical or religious duty); even though Buddha is said to have converted to Buddhism on the battlefield (not unlike Constantine's conversion to Christianity because of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge), he preached a rather non-sectarian doctrine; Ashoka erected these pillars from southern Afghanistan all the way down to peninsular India; they became wondrous sites to draw visitors; all have sculpted animals on top which run on an abacus, a symbol of dharma because perfect order moves forward like a smooth wheel moving forward in a productive way
Dorothy Wong "Chinese Buddhist Steles"
Dorothy Wong's book is "the first comprehensive study of...Buddhist steles produced in China from the late fifth through the sixth century" (1). The groups who erected the steles used the symbolism, functionality, and patronage patterns of traditional Chinese steles to express their ardent Buddhist faith. Thus, the reversion of Buddhist steles to rely on inscription to convey content rather than imagery reflects the complete integration of Buddhism into Chinese society. The Chinese Buddhist steles of the late 5th through the 6th century CE contained both carved images--individually commissioned--and long inscriptions which expressed the religious outlooks of the donors and described their respective social positions. These inscriptions were valued for their literary and calligraphic character as well. The flourishing of this artistic tradition and the positive reception of the Buddhist faith was facilitated by the unstable socio-political climate of 6th-century China according to Wong. Overall, these steles were important parts of Buddhist ritual and served a commemorative function in a host of local communities across China, particularly the northern provinces. They were public monuments usually set up in temple courtyards, village entryways, or along the roadside.The patrons of these steles were nobles, wealthy families, and later diverse members of devotional groups.
Scene of the Ceremony of Acknowledgement, from the Kashiwagi chapter of "The Tale of Genji". Handscroll with ink and colors on paper, about 8.5 by 19 inches. 12th century CE. (Heian period). Japanese.
Genji had an affair with his father's youngest wife and then she had a child and his father adopted the child; due to karma, when Genji grew up his youngest wife had an affair with his best friend and they produced a son that Genji adopted; all of the human figures are in the leftmost third of the scene; first viewers see the courtyard, then the strong diagonal veranda, then the robe which signals a lady in waiting, then the food which signals a ceremony; Genji himself is at the top and more ladies in waiting are at the bottom; Genji is acknowledging the child as his own; text is about emotional turmoil Genji is experiencing; Genji squished into a corner in a position that is kind of awkward; Gazing down at the child who seems to look back up at him, the face conveys very little emotion, simple plain face is seen throughout the Genji scrolls, allowing the viewer to project emotions onto the characters; the eyes are drawn with just a single line; the artist makes you wonder is he closing or opening his eyes; typical things about illustrated scenes in the Tale of Genji--placement and composition is carefully thought out to show emotions; blow-off roof perspective--voyeuristically gazing down into the palace--peering into the emotional lives of the characters; typified, schematic face employed; the characters have wide, spread out and elaborate robes--reflects the reality that in the Heian court, the way you dressed was a marker of status and sophistication
"Front Face of a Stela (Free-standing Stone with Relief)," 692 CE, Culture: Mesoamerica. Period: Maya. Guatemala, Department of the Peten, El Peru (also known as Waka'), Maya people (AD 250-900). Limestone, overall: 274.40 x 182.30 cm (108 x 71 3/4 inches). Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1967.29.
In stone sculpture, Maya rulers celebrated the milestones of their reigns with flamboyant portraits like this image of a royal woman, created to mark the passage of a twenty-year period known as the k'atun; she originally stood in a plaza next to a portrait of her spouse, with whom she ruled El Peru-Waka, a provincial maya town; a member of the powerful dynasty of a nearby Maya center, she seems to have held higher authority than her husband, serving as a military governor; her costume reflects her status--the headdress has a fan of green quetzal feathers and her jewelry probably refers to jade-both among the most prized of ancient materials; jade beads also may form the net over her garment, belted with the head of a fish-like creature; completing the costume are the scepter and shield she grasps in her hands; the dwarf at her side may be a court attendant; the hieroglyphic text refers to important dynastic dates
Palenque. Lid of the Sarcophagus of Pakal the Great. Limestone. About 12 x 7 feet. ca. 683 CE. Mesoamerican. Maya.
Pakal at center in profile with elongated skull, long sloping nose and forehead, full lips, etc. shown literally falling into the underworld, the open jaws of a jaguar; rising straight up from center of Pakal is a tree, the tree of life which connects the underworld to the world of the living to the heavens; on top of the tree is an imaginary birdlike creature, the bird that represents the skies, the heavens; the tree itself is adorned with chainlike, spiky objects used in bloodletting rituals; shown as the giver of life, who let his own blood as ruler to provide for the prosperity and well-being of his people; typical, shallow relief, but does not use a lot of glyphs; not for public view in the same way as the stele; typical characteristics are profile view of figure, facial characteristics with sloping forehead and large nose; shallow carving, all same depth
"Stele with Shakyamuni and Maitreya," c. 570s, China, Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). Marble with polychromy, overall: h. 119.00cm (46 13/16 inches). Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C Hanna, Jr. Fund, 1993.108
Shakyamuni bears a benign smile in the hand gestures of fearlessness and gift giving; he is flanked by two bodhisattvas and two disciples--all standing against a mandorla (almond-shaped halo) adorned with a stupa and flying heavenly beings; on the reverse side, the Buddha sits in a pensive pose with his head tilted, mediating under twin sala trees; this position is reserved for Shakyamuni's first meditation or Maitreya's meditation; the joint appearance of Shakyamuni and Maitreya (the future Buddha) on two sides of a stele was a favorite scheme of the Northern Qi period
Shaka Triad, from the Horyuji "kondo," Nara. Sculptor: Tori Busshi. Gilt bronze. ca. 623 CE (Asuka period). Japanese.
buddha at center flanked by bodhisattvas, large mandorla; shown in hieratic scale; circle on forehead, hand gesture of "have no fear," cross legged seated pose on top of rectangular block with robes flowing over; bump on head is marker of the Buddha, elongated earlobes--Buddha was prince who would have worn lots of jewelry; drapery is waterfall-like, floating up at the bottom--an influence from Chinese Buddhist art (sculptor was of Chinese descent)
Standing Buddha. Gray shist. 47 inches tall. ca. 150-200 CE. Period: Kushan-Ghandara style. South Asian.
combining elements from both the Greco-Roman and Indian worlds, the artists of Gandhara created a new vision of the Buddha during the period of high contact between the two regions; they were among the first to show the Buddha with a placed and introspective expression, thick wavy hair, and clothed in a heavy, toga-like monk's robe. They retained the local preference for soft volumetric forms of the body, noticeable beneath the garment as it pulls and hangs in naturalistic pleat lines over the figure.
Palenque. Temple of the Inscriptions. ca. 683 CE. Mesoamerican. Maya.
completed mostly during Pakal's lifetime; would have had a roof comb originally; pyramid with 9 steps; embodiment of theological conception of the underworld; temple at top has portico; temple has stucco sculpture which all have to do with ancestry of Pakal the Great and with the future of the dynasty; inside the building were tablets with inscriptions which would have been fixed to the wall which give a lengthy history of Pakal and link him to the mythological creators of Palenque; long staircase from top leads down into chamber of Pakal the Great; had not been robbed when archaeologists found it
"Streams and Mountains without End," 1100-1150, Northern Song dynasty (900-1127) Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
epitome of landscape painting; commentary unfurls many feet; ability to lose oneself in the painting, to journey through; within nature there is human habitation; designed to be viewed by one or two people; read from right to left
"Lovers." Sandstone. Approx. 29 ins. high. 11th century CE. Period: Medieval. South Asian.
erotic imagery was a standard element on sacred monuments in India; idealized lovers signal the auspiciousness of birth, prosperity of life, and the abundance of the created world, indicating to worshippers at the temple that their offerings and prayers would be fruitful and productive; the exaggerated size of their eyes, linearity of the facial features and ornaments, and the impossible twisting of their limbs and her body create an unnatural stylization that heightens the intensity of the scene, as the two figures seem effortlessly unified in their embrace.
Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho (India). ca. 1000 CE. Period: Medieval. South Asian.
example of a type of Hindu temple, dedicated to Shiva; rests on a stone terrace reached by a steep flight of stairs; series of three mandapas precede the womb chamber, which is marked by the tallest tower; only a priest would have been allowed inside the womb chamber, which represents the point where creation begins and from which creation then emanates; the exterior in contrast to the dark womb chamber containing only the linga is covered with sculpture that depicts animal and human figures; there is so much sculpture on the exterior of the temple that the architecture looks almost as though it is built entirely of sculpture; the walls appear almost to melt into sculpture; many of the sculptures on the exterior depict erotic scenes, which are often quite explicitly--meant to symbolize birth, life, and productivity; a reenactment of Shiva's original act of creation; show the omnipotence of Shiva and his powers of creation
Phoenix Hall, Byodoin, Uji. ca. 1053 CE (Heian period). Japanese.
growth of what becomes the most popular strain of Buddhism--Pure Land Buddhism; focuses on the worship of the Amida Buddha--believed to have resulted from when a particular monk achieved enlightenment; promises that if you worship Amida, when you die, if you say a certain prayer you will be transported to the Western paradise of the Pure Land and you will be saved; described as this soft glowing world full of birds and music and flowers that sounds and smells beautiful; attractive because it offers an easy way to achieve salvation; after this death in this lifetime, if you pray to Amida, you will be saved; temples offer places to worship Amida; built as a private villa, not as a temple, but as a summer palace by a courtier at the Heian court; built as a home but meant to imitate the palace of the Buddha in the western paradise; has Pure Land Buddhist references before it was converted; converted into temple by children after man died; similar to art of the Asuka period with swooping roofs, wooden columns with brackets, and designed to have a feeling of lightness and airiness, as if the building could lift off the ground and ascend through the air to the Western paradise; set in pond with a specific shape--the sacred symbol for Amida--the landscape venerates and promotes the worship; the plan of the building has a central hall with three wings extending off--meant to look like a bird with the wings extending to the side and unusual plan seems like the architects were trying to convey this; later addition of sculpture supports association with phoenix; creates an atmosphere conducive to meditation to worshipping Amida; the entire interior of the room is lavishly decorated with sculpture everywhere; in the Heian period, members of the Heian court believe that by giving money or art to the temples, they accrue good karma to ensure salvation by Amida after death; the image that dominates is the statue of Amida himself
Scene of the Retired Emperor and Princess, from the Kashiwagi chapter of "The Tale of Genji." Handscroll with ink and colors on paper, about 8.5 by 19 inches. 12th century CE. (Heian period). Japanese.
has decided she must become a nun because she feels so guilty about having a child with Genji's best friend, while Kashiwagi dies; she is laying down with her arm thrown across her face--meant to imagine her sadness; long black hard like ribbons meant to foreshadow her intent to cut it all off and become a nun; sitting next to her is her father, the retired emperor--bowed head, hand covering eyes, crying, he doesn't know what's wrong with his daughter because she won't tell him; Genji again below, pushed to this awkward edge of the composition; feels bad for wife and does not want her to become a nun; ladies in waiting mourn the state of affairs at the palace--noble women in the retinue of a royal; courtesan who lives at the palace; prestigious entourage of the king or queen; composition broken into diagonal lines; each individual human figure is in its own compartment--emotional isolation through spatial isolation, she cannot say what happened, the emperor does not know what's going on, Genji is unable to express his compassion to his wife; looking down into their lives; artfully arranged robes contribute to the expression of emotion; height of artistic achievement in the Heian court; emphasis on literature and high culture; overall a secular work of art, but the story of Genji is very much about the suffering of life, the transience of life in this world that even the wealthiest of people experience; does reflect Buddhist theology of the world as a cycle of suffering
Shiva Nataraja (Shiva as the Lord of Dance). Bronze. Approximately 44 inches high, 257 pounds. Period: Medieval. South Asian. 1000s.
one of the most celebrated sculptural forms in the history of Indian art, this elegant and dynamic figure embodies some of Hinduism's most fundamental tenets; according to Hindu thought, time is cyclical; the world is created, maintained, preserved for a time, then destroyed, only to be created again an infinite number of times; for those Hindus who view Shiva to be the all-powerful creator divinity, he is responsible for both creation and destruction; the ring of fire and the tongue of flame he holds in his left hand refer to destruction, and the drum in his raised right hand refers to the relentless beat of time as it moves inevitably forward; his lower right hand, held up with the palm facing out, signals to his devotees not to be afraid of the impending destruction; they can be liberated from the cycles of birth and death through devotion to him, which he indicates by pointing to his upraised foot; with every step in his dance, he lands on a dwarfish figure personifying ignorance
Seated Sakyamuni (Sakyamuni = the historical Buddha). late 1st-early 2nd c. CE. Red sandstone. Appros. 20.5 inches high. Period: Kushan. South Asian.
placed on a lion pedestal, part of which is broken off. The pedestal was undoubtedly flanked on both sides by seated lions in profile; its center is decorated with the same animal shown frontally; Sakyamuni is seated, cross-legged, with the right hand expressing the abhaya mudra and the left resting on his thigh; his body is clad in a transparent garment; the massive round head displays fleshy kushana features, while the hair is indicated only by the hairline and kaparda (coil of hair) on the top of the head; the figure was flanked by the pair of attendants Brahma and Indra, but only the Brahma with the chauri (on the Buddha's proper right) remains, Indra having been broken off with the upper part of the stele. Enough of the stele remains to determine that a scalloped halo encircled Buddha's head and that around it was the bodhi tree, which is also articulated along the back of the stele; the sculpture was conceived almost like a sculpture in the round, even if the impression is more that of two reliefs put together; the reverse side shows the entire bodhi tree with tree trunk, branches, and foliage, and adds such captivating accents as a squirrel on one of the branches; it also shows the back of the throne, the Buddha, and his attendants; the stele is perforated to enforce the effect of a sculpture in the round
Lintel depicting Shield Jaguar and Lady Xok. Yaxchilan, Mexico. Limestone. 43.5 x 31.75 inches. 725 CE. Mesoamerican. Maya.
positioned above the doorway in a public space; originally would have been very brightly painted; crisp relief, a little deeper; emphasis on the two central figures; balanced in terms of which figure is the dominant figure; shown in many ways as equals; both shown as critical elements of what's going on; in the elite, political circles of Maya society, women held very important roles associated with actions and agency; whole sculpture dedicated by lady Xok, who set up the stele in 725 to commemorate the accession of her husband to the throne when he became king, which happened earlier; specifically shown is the bloodletting ceremony that took place as part of the accession; elaborate tasselled headdress is a shrunken head of an enemy; earrings look like the rods from the death mask of Pakal the Great and jewelry, probably made of jade or shells
Horyuji. "Kondo" (Golden Hall). Nara. 7th century CE (Asuka period). Built by Prince Shotoku. Japanese.
same features of Chumon such as heavy roof, tall pitched roof on top, carved wooden ballastries, airy carved shapes light, balanced architecture; is really dark in contrast with exterior courtyard; enough lighting to see decorations but not bright; center has an altar, which you are encouraged to circumambulate; lining the walls are devotional images of the Buddha, of Bodhisattvas, contains the Shaka Triad
Horyuji. "Chumon" (Middle Gate). Nara. 7th century CE (Asuka period). Built by Prince Shotoku. Japanese.
set on raised platform--elevating self above the mundane world; frequently seen are ballastries to frame balcony space, carved in light, airy geometric patterns like stylized representations of clouds swirling in the sky; large wooden columns bulge in the center; heavily tiled roofs with heavy, sweeping eaves that curve up a little bit at the end--an attempt to give feeling of lightness through the swooping; massive guardian figures--the Nio--guardian deities for the Buddhist worshippers; Ungyo is the guardian of the nighttime hours and black skin, Agyo is the guardian of the daytime and red skin; muscular, strong, powerful, ferocious, active, dynamic; tilted in towards center, creating a protective frame on the side, ready to pounce on evil but also warn visitors to behave appropriately
"Night Shining White," Han Gan (active c. 742-756), c. 750. Tang dynasty (618-907 CE)
shows an imperial steed; applied marks/remarks--long tradition of commentary on the work, red seals indicate ownership; would have been brought out on special occasions; many inscriptions are to the effect of when and why the viewers were looking at the paintings and what they were doing; epitome of the most important principle of Chinese painting--a sense of vitality; not necessarily anatomically correct, but trying to convey the spirit or energy of the object; the hair standing on end and frenzied look with hooves in the air and mouth open; unbridled energy; hand scroll is painting on paper that is mounted to silk, easily rolled together and highly portable; allows much to be written because you can add another piece
Horyuji compound, Nara. 7th century CE (Asuka period). Built by Prince Shotoku. Japanese.
temples built to provide spaces of worship for the new religion, while Shintoism did not need an indoor space; Buddhism is often preferred to be practiced in front of an altar with images; the temple made the site so important that Nara then became the capital of Japan; originally built in 607 CE, just three years after Shitoku issued a new constitution to lay out the Buddhist moral precepts to operate by; emphasis on Buddhist law and morality--architectural expression of the constitution; importance of Buddhism and obeying its moral precepts; survived for so long because wood is a flexible material; architecture is designed to create separation between the inner space and the outer world; meant to draw visitors--an imperial monument for all of Japan
One-Faced Linga, from a hindu temple of Shiva in India. schist. 33 ins. high. 7th-8th century CE. Period: Medieval. South Asian.
the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva is called a womb chamber in which a stylized phallus called a linga is installed; together, the chamber and linga represent the potentiality of creation; artists depict the first stage of creation by a face emerging from the phallus, which embodies one aspect of Shiva; this face is of a powerful yogi, with long matted locks adorned with a crescent moon; he has a penetrating gaze with all three of his eyes; the icon would have been accessed primarily by Brahmin priests who would perform rituals honoring Shiva as the ultimate creator of the world
Great Stupa at Sanchi (India). Founded in Maurya period (3rd c. BCE); sculpted gates and railings from the Satavahana period (ca. 150-50 BCE). South Asian.
the stupa itself was founded in the Maurya period, while the sculpted gate and railings date to the later Satavahana period; in the photograph, you can see the hemispherical mound of the stupa rising over the landscape, with the mast and umbrellas at the top signifying the axis mundi; Ashoka set up his pillars at sacred sides and put up stupas, like this one, next to the pillars; the stupas each contained particles of the cremated remains of the body of the Buddha; After Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism, he sought out the eight stupas where the Buddha's remains had been buried, dug them up, and supposedly divided them into 84,000 parts; he put a pinch of the original ashes into reliquaries, and then supposedly built 84000 stupas, each with an Ashokan pillar next to it; the ancient sources probably exaggerate the number, but it remains true that Ashoka built many of these monuments around India; the most famous stupa--and probably the most famous early Buddhist monument in general is the Great Stupa at Sanchi, in central India; Ashoka first established the site in the 3rd century BCE, and stupas were later added around the Great Stupa to contain cremated remains of high-ranking Buddhist monks; the site also contained living quarters for the monks ; built of rubble and dirt faced with stone, covered with white plaster that would have been very reflective; in the 2nd Century BCE, a stone railing was constructed around the stupa; in the 1st century CE, the monumental carved stone gateways were added; the base of the broken Ashokan pillar is to the right of the gate, and would originally have been taller than the stupa itself; circumambulatory space between the railing and the stupa itself; the railing separates the profane world from the inner, sacred area; the gateways are covered in relief sculpture, including narrative relief sculpture with scenes from the lives of the Buddha, and a great deal of sculpture associated with auspiciousness, abundance, fertility, life force, and so on.
Horyuji. Pagoda. Nara. 7th century CE (Asuka period). Built by Prince Shotoku. Japanese.
transformation of Chinese architecture to Japanese context; five level pagoda; heavy tiled roofs with swooping ends, carved wooden balustrades, carved wooden brackets in the shape of clouds; four main entrances; tall building that narrows with each roof a little smaller and the top dimensions have half the dimensions of the bottom; attention to proportionality to create lightness and balance; similar to a reliquary but containing Buddhist objects; offers a diagram of achieving enlightenment--represents the axis along which you arise as you move from the world of suffering to Nirvana; single wooden pillar runs up the whole way--the heart pillar--literally the axis that stands on top of a cavity, where the sacred objects are placed, sacred sutras--revered texts that would have been buried under the heart pillar and conferred sacrality to the Pagoda; metal structure at top with sacred jewel of Buddhist wisdom--the thing to be attained is right at the top; diagram of how you are supposed to the rise to enlightenment; Pagodas of Japan and China fulfill the same function as the Stupas of India--both function as a reliquary, both meant to be diagrams of how to attain enlightenment, the south Asians felt the round dome shape of the heavens was the way to show the shape of enlightenment and this idea was taken up in China and Japan as a more literal vertical access; both have a separation of the profane and sacred worlds which are very clearly marked; the whole effect is one of balance, though it is not symmetrical or identical; moving into the space is leaving the world behind to wander a harmonious, balanced space; ideal environment to contemplate and renew your commitment to achieving nirvana.
"Amida Buddha," by Jocho. Phoenix Hall, Byodoin. 2.8 meters high ca. 1053 CE (Heian period). Japanese
wood covered in gilding; entirely covered in gold; water in base with reflecting pool to create glimmering reflection; seated on multi-tiered pedestal of lotus petals and leaves; elaborately flaming mandorla; images of Buddhas--characteristic pose, elongated earlobes, mandorla and half circle, bump in head covered in snail-like curls, dot on face; Amida Buddha specifically is idealized and youthful with a serene face--open eyes with heavy lids, signifies boundless compassion; always able to help you; mudra--symbol of meditation and triumph of enlightenment over illusions-hand gesture, commonly used for representations of the Pure land Buddha because it has the connotation of paradise after death that this Buddha offers; human figures are affixed to the wall behind, representing court officials and bodhisattvas--hung all the way around to represent entourage; impressive experience; joint-block construction--taken individual rectangles of wood, carved them, and affixed them together before gilding--technique developed in this time period by Jocho--enable sculptors to use desired material
Gateway Bracket with figure of a "yakshi." Sandstone. 150-200 CE. Kushan Period, from city of Mathura. South Asian.
yakshi is a figure that would have supported the lower architrave on the east gate at Sanchi; a yakshi is a personification of life forces in the form of a voluptuous, young mother; breasts and hips are emphasized to connote fertility; she leans daringly out into space, with a dynamic diagonal pose; technically is wearing a garment, but it is so thin that she appears nude, again emphasizing her form; life-affirming, auspicious imagery used to balance the funerary connotations of the site, as well as being symbolically purifying; the yakshis symbolize purifying water that you would walk through to go into the stupa site; you literally had to wash yourself before entering the site; gateways leading into a sacred area had large horizontal architraves, which were supported by brackets; the woman embodies the ideal form of the young mother, with breasts full of nourishing milk; as personifications of the sap that pervades living plants, they are auspicious markers of life and abundance; these attractive figures, who embody the purifying water essential for life, symbolically cleanse visitors as they enter the sacred space; on both sides of this large bracket they grasp the branch of an ashoka tree, which has clusters of flowers that are bright red in nature.
