Right since the second century AD after his iconic representations began pouring in replacing aniconic votive motifs of earlier worship cult the Buddha’s images were conceived not merely to represent his person but also as representing him in one of the more significant events in his life, that is, the Buddha performing an act : engaged in penance, emaciated by fasting, invoking the mother earth to be the witness of his act of defeating Maras, putting the wheel of the Law into motion, delivering a sermon, traveling across the entire land enlightening ignorant masses and so on. A bust was obviously not a sculpture of such class : one that represented him in a performing mode. Different from sanctum images bust sculptures, essentially a part of decoration-cult, those of mythical figures in particular, were perceived as icons of one quality or virtue or other that comprised the essence of such divinity’s being. A bust of Venus has been for long across Europe an icon of unsurpassed beauty, that of Apollo, of the unsurpassed might. Objects of ages old ritual devotion Indian deities rarely transformed into such icons. It is exceptional in the case of Buddha. Apart an act leading him to Buddhahood or that which redeemed the suffering mankind, Buddha stands for compassion for the entire mankind sans discrimination of any kind and is thus the global icon of compassion. This seeker of light led masses to light beyond sectarian lines; and hence, his busts represented a Buddha beyond dogma : an icon of absolute compassion.
One of the greatest teachers the world has ever produced, this bust in wood represents Buddha as the unsurpassed icon of compassion. Though the founder of the world’s third largest religion, for his humanism Buddha is loved and revered beyond sectarian lines. He is seen as inspiring compassion and love beyond caste, creed and faith, building a mankind which nothing divides. His busts, as this one, do not represent a particular event but the aggregate of his life and teachings. It represents the ‘Buddha’, the Knowing One, as sharing himself, his totality, the divine experience of attaining the light with the world for redeeming all from the pangs of illness, old age and death, and at the same time making them compassionate towards all. Bust statues are based broadly on the contention that it is in the face –head, mind and thinking power, not in a person’s anatomy, that his aggregate reveals. Contrarily, anatomy might index a particular act, not a being’s totality.
An art-piece with great merit, this bust statue portraying rare quiescence enshrining the Buddha’s face is essentially an aesthetic image conceived for spiritualizing a space, not for enshrining a sanctum. The wood-carver has ably contained in the bust the totality, the exterior as well as interior, of the one like the Buddha whom texts considered as one beyond form and colours – a pure spiritual being, indexing him entirely through his face, obviously a great artistic challenge requiring enormous skill and absolute command of his tools, complete understanding of the subject and a rare sense of precision. With well defined features : sharp nose, half-shut lotus eyes with elegantly carved arched eye-brows, beautifully modeled lips, roundish face with receding chin, large ears with earlobes receding down to shoulders, curling hair carved into multiple knots and a tuft of hair atop, a perfectly aligned neck and broad shoulders the artist has conceived his image on pure aesthetic lines. The Buddha’s ‘sanghati’ – shoulder sheet, waves-like folded and laid over left shoulder, the image’s modeling, plasticity, power to reveal sublimity and divine quiescence, overall finish and sculptural quality all endow the statue with rare distinction.
This description by Prof. P.C. Jain and Dr. Daljeet. Prof. Jain specializes on the aesthetics of literature and is the author of numerous books on Indian art and culture. Dr. Daljeet is the curator of the Miniature Painting Gallery, National Museum, New Delhi. They have both collaborated together on a number of books.
How to care for Wood Statues?
Wood is extensively used in sculpting especially in countries like China, Germany, and Japan. One feature that makes the wood extremely suitable for making statues and sculptures is that it is light and can take very fine detail. It is easier for artists to work with wood than with other materials such as metal or stone. Both hardwoods, as well as softwood, are used for making sculptures. Wood is mainly used for indoor sculptures because it is not as durable as stone. Changes in weather cause wooden sculptures to split or be attacked by insects or fungus. The principal woods for making sculptures and statues are cedar, pine, walnut, oak, and mahogany. The most common technique that sculptors use to make sculptures out of wood is carving with a chisel and a mallet. Since wooden statues are prone to damage, fire, and rot, they require proper care and maintenance.
It is extremely important to preserve and protect wooden sculptures with proper care. A little carelessness and negligence can lead to their decay, resulting in losing all their beauty and strength. Therefore, a regular clean-up of the sculptures is a must to prolong their age and to maintain their shine and luster.
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