Discourse in Early Buddhist Art: Visual Narratives of India

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Story-telling is an ever popular activity that occurs space and time. Which child has not sat enthralled by the magic of story-tellers, and which adult has not succumbed to the seduction of reenactments of great legends? India’s ancient Buddhist capitalized on the lure of stories, portraying them visually in stone reliefs and painted murals, to introduce viewers to the Buddhist faith and to confirm them in their belief. Commencing in the first century BC. Buddhist monasteries across the Indian subcontinent were extensively decorated with visual narratives of varying sizes, from a mere twelve inch panel to an extensive fifty foot wall.

This book is a pioneering exploration of the manner in which stories are told. It identifies seven modes of visual story-telling used by the artist in early India, considers the reason for one mode being chosen over another, and explores how, the effect of a story on the viewer varied according to the manner chosen to portray it. The book is a contribution to the expanding sphere of art historical investigation and also to the field of Buddhist studies.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vidya Dehejia

Vidya Dehejia completed a brilliant academic career at Cambridge University, England, where she obtained her B.A., M.A., and Ph. D. degrees. She has since combined active research with teaching activities at the universities of Sydney, Hong Kong, and Delhi. Presently she teaches at Columbia University in New York. Over the years, she has published a wide range of books and scholarly articles. Vidya Dehejia's doctoral thesis was published in 1972 by Thames & Hudson, London and by Cornell University Press under the title Early Buddhist Rock Temples. A Homi Bhabha Fellowship resulted in a book entitled Early Stone Temples of Orissa. More recently, the National Museum in New Delhi has brought out her Yogini Cult and Temples: A Tantric Tradition. The range of her interests is indicated by her most recent, co-authored book with P. Pal from Merchants to Emperors: British Artists and India. 1 75 7-1930. In this present book on Tamil saints, Vidya Dehejia (nee Rama lyer) turns to elucidate a facet of the art of her own Tamil homeland.