“The human body is an instrument for the production of art in the life of the human soul.”
Alfred North Whitehead
One thing that always been a peak of interest in art is the human body. As such, all cultures illustrated anatomy according to their own ideals. Historical South Asia in particular, went through a transition in which the interpretations of not the human body, but their embodiment of their Buddhist religious figures, were at conflict.
In the first periods of Buddhism, aniconic depictions of Buddha were heavily discouraged, hence why much of the early South Asian art relied on symbolism. What was rather presented were items that reflected the Buddha himself and his teachings. The Dharma Chakra, the believed tree in which he reached enlightenment, even the alters themselves were symbols to represent the God in the artwork (Sethi). It wasn’t until later on that literal representations of their god were finally accepted. Some could claim that as a blossoming religion, it would be easier to grasp the faith if a recognizable face was exposed to the followers as an act of allusive interaction.
Opposed to biblical art that mostly depicted specific events from scripture, those that reached nirvana were strictly shown in postures that reflected the principles of the religion. For example, it is rare to find Buddha not shown in his usual seated position, along with his downward glance and notable hand gestures.
Korean sculptures of bodhisattvas, enlightened ones that decided to help others reach nirvana, also started to quickly sprout throughout the region as well. Often in a seating position, the physical figure acted as a reminder that “every man has within himself the potential of becoming a Buddha” (McIntire). Just like their mentor, the act of mediation is what unites the religion’s followers as a whole. These sculptures overall had an enticing aura as if it was inviting you to a one-on-one conversation.
Pensive bodhisattva. Korea. (source)
Compared to modern Western art, it seems that the human form in Korean art often acted as a means to connect to the viewer. As not to say that Western art doesn’t strive for a purpose when exhibiting the body, it is clear in the media that the human figure possesses many meanings and tropes that can be utilized for any situation.
It is just that since the United States is home to many different religions, it is too broad of an environment to have a mutual conception of the human body and its significance, unlike 7th century South Asia, where Buddhism was widely practiced. Those that followed Buddhism, even if from different locations, had a similar physical description of Buddha due to how he was depicted.
Graphic. Credit to all photo owners of Asean Untold History. (source)
Resources:
- Metmuseum.org, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kobs/hd_kobs.htm.
- “The Historical Buddha (Article) | Buddhism.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-cultures-religions-apah/buddhism-apah/a/the-historical-buddha.
- “Images of Enlightenment: Aniconic vs. Iconic Depictions of the Buddha in India (Article).” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/introduction-cultures-religions-apah/buddhism-apah/a/images-of-enlightenment.