Greco-Buddhist Art

Greco-Buddhist art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between the Classical Greek culture and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 800 years in Central Asia, in an area corresponding to contemporary Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C., and the 5th century A.D.

Numerous Greco-Buddhist works of art display the intermixing of Greek and Buddhist influences. They have been found across a wide area from Central Asia (from the Oxus river) to the area of Mathura in central India.

Bactria (modern day Afghanistan))

Although there is still some debate, the Bactrian and Ghandaran images are considered by most scholars to be anterior to the Mathura ones, implying an Hellenitic artistic influence spreading from the West to the East. It seems this Greek influence resulted in the first antropomorphic representations of the Buddha. Until that time, the Buddha had only been represented symbolically by elements such as his foot imprint, the boddhi tree or the buddhist wheel.

Other artistic elements include the typically greco-roman drapery for the Buddha's clothes, and the wavy Mediterranean hair.

Greco-Buddhist representation are usually dated from the 1st century B.C. to the 7th century A.D., when invasions White Huns and Islamic invasions brought it to an end. The Buddhist were often blamed for idolatry and tended to be persecuted by the iconoclastic muslims.

Most of the remaining art was again destroyed during the Afghanistan War, and especially by the Taliban regime in 2001. The most famous case is that of the desctruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan that year.

Ironically, most of the remaining art from Afghanistan is the one that was removed from the country during the Colonial period. In particular, a rich collection exists at the Musee Guimet in France.

Gandhara (modern day northern Pakistan)

The art of Ghandara display some very strong interraction between the Hellenistic artistic and religious culture and Buddhism.

On the one hand, many Greek mythological scenes are represented in an almost purely Hellenistic manner (the cult of Dyonisos with representations of banqueting and drinking bearded Greeks).

On the other hand, several representations of the life of the Buddha are represented in Hellenistic style.

Many works of art also display a total syncretism, combining for example representations of the Buddha with representation of the Greek god Heracles as his protector.

In addition, forms such as garland-bearing cherubs, vine scrolls, and such semi-human creatures as the centaur and triton, are part of the repertory of Hellenistic art introduced by Greco-Roman artists in the service of the Kushan court.

Mathura (central India)

The art of Mathura, is usually dated slightly later than the Gandharan art and clearly incorporates a combination of Hellenistic and strong Indian influence.

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