Post-Mauryan Trends in Indian Art and Architecture

Stupa-1 at Sanchi is one of the finest examples of stupa architecture. Originally it was a small brick structure that expanded over time and was later covered with stone, a vedika, and toranas. It has three main elements of circumambulation: the lower pradakshinapatha around the stupa, the upper pradakshinapatha, and the enclosed railing. The four gateways are richly decorated with sculptures showing events from the life of the Buddha and the Jatakas.

Aesthetically, the figures are small in size but show great mastery of sculpting. The body treatment is naturalistic, with good depth and dimension. The shalbhanjika figures are especially notable for their handling of volume. The earlier rigidity is reduced, and the carvings show greater movement and liveliness. The gateways have two vertical pillars and three horizontal bars, each decorated on both sides. The Buddha is represented symbolically as an empty throne, feet, chhatra, or stupa rather than in human form. Overall, Sanchi shows a mature and highly decorative sculptural style.

During the fifth and sixth centuries CE in North India, sculpture shows a clear move toward refinement. In the early phase, especially in the Mathura tradition, figures were already bold, with strong carving, round faces, smiling expressions, and a projected volume. By the late fourth century CE, the massiveness and fleshiness reduced, the flesh became more tightened, and the drapery also became less heavy. In the fifth and sixth centuries CE, the drapery became integrated into the sculptural mass, and in many Buddha images it appears transparent.

Two important schools are especially significant: Mathura and Sarnath. At Mathura, Buddha images continued with some drapery folds and a more decorated halo, while at Sarnath the figures became slender, well-proportioned, delicate, and rhythmic. The body surface became soft, the drapery clung to the body, and the halo and throne were treated with fine decorative detail. The overall trend was from heavy, round, and fleshy forms to more elegant, integrated, and refined forms.