Standing Athena Statue Analysis

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Analysis of Standing Buddha Statue in Comparison with Greek Sculptures

The Large Standing Maitreya Statue stands right in the lobby of Yale University Art Gallery, looking down upon and greeting all the visitors before they enter the Ancient Hall. Dated back to late 2nd-3rd century C.E., this Buddha sculpture from ancient South Asian Gandhara in Kushan Period remains in good conditions for people after two millennia to appreciate its grace. In the first part, this paper will analyze this statue by all its formal properties and it will continue to compare it with the Athena statue in the same museum, discussing three similarities and three differences between them.
The statue is around seven feet tall, an enlarged size of a real human being. …show more content…

The body is rendered naturalistic. The sculptor applied the body ratio of a normal human beings, and was dedicated to depict many details on it. However, the body is also idealized, as the Buddha is a divine figure in South Asian culture. This Maitreya is in perfect shape: well-defined pecs, erect nose bridge, thick lips, graceful eyes and huge ears (which is regarded long life in Buddhism).
The Buddha is in kasaya, leaving his right chest exposed to our eyes. It is interesting to note that the dressing code among modern Buddhist monks is a heritage from ancient practice. The drapery smoothly loops around the body, from the left shoulder to the right waist, presenting a polished transition between different parts of the body.
The Buddha has multiple necklaces, loosely rendered over his nude right chest. The tightest one closely surrounds his neck. Geometric components appear repeatedly: squares in the outside and circles in the inside. At the middle there is a shape that possibly resemble the lotus flower, which symbolizes purity and harmony in Buddhism. Similar representation is widely seen as seats for many seated Buddha statues. One other necklace is a chain of beads, probably represent the concept of transmigration and afterlife in Buddhism. Also, there is a necklace looks like the ear of wheat and another with leaves over the surface—all symbols about the nature. The devout believers in Kushan Period might think that the Buddha was the lord of everything—human beings and the nature; happiness and suffers; the past, the present and the

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