Own a piece of Buddhist history

The author checks out the fare at the ongoing Sotheby's auction

This September the spotlight is firmly on Asian art with exhibitions and auctions showcasing exceptional works from the region being held across the world. One such event - 'Footsteps of the Buddha: masterworks from across the Buddhist World' - happens to be the first selling exhibition of Buddhist art by Sotheby's in more than a decade. Selling exhibitions like this one allow the auction house greater flexibility in curating the artworks and more freedom in exploring a particular area or period in depth. "Such shows have been well received by collectors who are looking at acquiring pieces through private sales, in addition to the auction," says Henry Howard-Sneyd, vice-chairman, Asian Art, Sotheby's. Thirty-one pieces, which include sculptures, paintings and figurines from India, Japan, China, Korea and Tibet, trace the historical development of Buddhist art as it travelled across the length and breadth of Asia from the 2nd century through the 21st century. "For each period, we sought a piece that was among the finest of its type in private hands," says Sneyd.

A major highlight is the 2nd/3rd century grey schist standing Bodhisattva in the Gandhara style. "It reflects the Graeco-Roman influence from Alexander the Great who colonised the region in the 4th century BC," says Jacqueline Dennis, specialist (Indian and Southeast Asian Art department), Sotheby's. The Gandhara school of art was born from this legacy of Hellenism - a mix of East and West.

As Buddhism developed in India and spread across Asia over the next two millennia, Buddhist artwork changed dramatically as it was assimilated in new cultures. Dennis maintains that it retained a basis iconographical language that carried the thread of continuity. "We see this in the physical characteristics of the Buddha (lakshanas), mudras, prevalence of the lotus throne, mythical animals, decorative elements, use of colour et cetera," she says. There are common aesthetic traits, yet some unique touches that render each of these artworks distinct. For instance, in the 16th/17th century painting of the Parinirvana of Buddha from Japan, Buddha is surrounded by disciples who are depicted in the Japanese style wearing robes of Chinese silk. A 12th-century sculpture of the Bodhisattva Manjushri from west Tibet is strongly inspired by Kashmiri aesthetics, with influences from Gandhara region as well as from central Tibet and China. "Buddhist art is reflexive in this way, mirroring not only its country of origin but also the aesthetics of the countries in which it entered," she says.

Another significant painting is an early-15th-century work which depicts the cosmos of the Buddhist Kalachakra. This happens to be one of the earliest representations of Kalachakra in Tibetan art. The symmetry of design and geometric placement of deities suggest a Nepalese artistic style, which might have been prevalent then in central Tibet.

The exhibition also features works by two contemporary artists - Gonkar Gyatso from Tibet and Cai Xiaosong from China. "They were trained in traditional Tibetan and Chinese painting techniques, respectively, and used this training as a medium to develop their own styles," says Dennis. Gyatso is today hailed as one of the most important contemporary artists from Tibet. His work reveals a deeply personal cross-fertilisation of references, technique and experiences as he reinvents the stereotypes concerning visual culture of Tibetan Buddhism. Xiaosong, on the other hand, experimented with Western media and art forms before returning to ink, brush, rice paper and silk. "Because these artists are referring back to traditional artwork as well as creating their own visual language, I would refer to these works as 'postmodern' rather than 'Buddhist contemporary'," says Dennis.

'Footsteps of the Buddha' will be showcased at Sotheby's New York till September 23.

The e-catalogue can be viewed at www.sothebys.com/buddha