Argus in China

Posted on juni 19, 2024 by Argusvlinder

In het Provincial Museum of Gansu in Lanzhou zag ik
een voor mij spectaculaire tentoonstelling:
Gandhara heritage along the Silk Road.
Maar het museum is op zich zelf ook al een interessant
museum. Nie gespecialiseerd in kunst of natuurhistorie
maar een museum met allelei voorwerpen waarvan de kern
uit Gansu komt. Gansu is ongeveer net zo groot als Zweden.
Het museum omvat bijvoorbeeld skeletten van pre-historische
dieren maar ook een Zijderoute-verzameling.

China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Stone reliquary (coffin) carved with relief, Five Dynasties (907-979) – Song Dynasty (960-1279), unearthed in 1957, Lintai County, Gansu, grey white sandstone.

Lycoptera, Liaoxi, vroeg krijt.

Bird shaped terracotta vessel with incised design, Qijia Culture, about 2000 BC.

Wikipedia:

De Qijia-cultuur (24e eeuw v.Chr. – 19e eeuw v.Chr.) was een cultuur in China die opbloeide in de Bronstijd, vooral in de gebieden rond de Gele Rivier, Gansu (het midden van Lanzhou) een het oostelijke gedeelte van Qinghai. De cultuur wordt gezien als een van de eerste Chinese bronstijdculturen. Johan Gunnar Andersson ontdekte het gebied in de buurt van Qijiaping (齊家坪), in 1923.

Bronze ornament with dog design, Shajing Culture, about 880 – 600 BC, Yushugou, Shuping, Yongdeng County.

Bronze he made for a count at Luan, Western Zhou Dynasty, 1046 – 771 BC, Baicaopo, Lingtai County.

Bronze elk, Warring States Period, 475 – 221 BC.

Argus in China

Posted on juni 14, 2024 by Argusvlinder

Het laatste bericht over de tentoonstelling
‘Gandhara heritage along the Silk Road’ in het
Provincial Museum of Gansu in Lanzhou (september 2023).

De schrijfwijze van de Boeddhistische begrippen en namen
op de informatiebordjes bij de voorwerpen lijken allemaal
het Sanskriet te volgen. Alleen heb ik niet al die
bijzondere lettervarianten gehanteerd.

In één beeld zie je hier drie momenten in het verhaal ‘The Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsa’: China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, 2nd – 3rd century, Peshawar Museum, grey schist.

The Seven Buddhas of the Past and the Maitreya bodhisattva, 2nd – 3rd century, Gandhara District, Peshawar Museum, schist. Af en toe gaat het mis met het nemen van een foto van het tekstbordje daarom de tekst uitgetikt.

This work shows a combination of the Seven Buddhas of the past and the future Buddha Maitreya. Six of the Seven Buddhas, all in Buddha features, can be observed in the fragmented stone carving, body wrapped in an overrobe (Samghati) or right shoulder and arm exposed, standing evenly spaced; Maitreya, as the future Buddha, is still bodhisattva, therefore stands on one side, dressed in Bodhisattva attire. All seven Buddha’s and Maitreya perform Abhayamudra. The inscription on the front of the rectangular pedestal means “Offerings to all Buddhas”.

The Seven Buddhas of the past refer to Sakyamuni and the six Buddhas that preceded his appearance in the world, namely Vipasyin, Sikhim, Visvabhu, Krakucchandra, Kanakamuni, Kasyapa.

The Buddha in abhaya mudra, 4th – 5th century, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist.

Head of bodhisattva, 2nd – 3rd century, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist.

Bodhisattva Maitreya, 2nd – 3rd century, Peshawar District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist.

Argus in China

Posted on juni 11, 2024 by Argusvlinder

The Three brothers from the clan kasyapa practiced fire worship and had a religious community of a thousand disciples. When the Buddha visited Mahakasyapa, he asked to stay in the fire chamber for the night. Mahakasyapa told the Buddha that there was a vicious naga, and it was not safe inside. The Buddha did not show any fear and insisted on staying. After entering the fire chamber, the Buddha entered dhyana, subdued the naga, and imprisoned it in his bowl. Mahakasyapa was thus convinced and xxed his disciples to convert and join the samgha. The Buddha stands on the left side of the relief, holding a bowl in his left hand, a snake coiled in the bowl with its head raised and stretch out. At the feet of the Buddha, fire worshopers are crawling on the ground, showing the legend of the “Conversion of the Vicious Naga”.

Vaste bezoekers van mijn blog weten dat als ik kunst fotografeer ik ook de toelichting bij het werk fotografeer. Maar dat gaat wel eens mis. Zoals bij dit werk waar een paar letters aan de linkerkant zijn weggevallen. Daarom heb ik de tekst overgenomen en de missende letters, daar waar ik dat kan, ingevuld. China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Conversion of the Vicious Naga, 2nd – 3rd century, Sahri Bahlol, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum, grey schist.

The present work shows Sakyamuni at his first sermon in the Deer Park in Sarnath. The figure has a seperate usnisa which is relatively dispositional, and wears a robe with the right shoulder exposed, and the folds of the garment are of carving with smooth lines. The features of the figure are well formed, with a high nose bridge, deep set eyes, and a mustache on the lips. The robustness of the body is visible and is a Gandhara statue from its heyday.

Bust of the Buddha in dharmacakra mudra.

The Miracle at Sravasti or Amitabha, 3rd – 5th century, Takht-i-Bahi, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum.

Miracle at Sravasti, 2nd – 3rd century, Sahri Bahlol, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum, schist.

King Udayana presents the Buddha image to the Buddha, 2nd – 3rd century, Sahri Bahlol, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum.

Argus in China

Posted on juni 9, 2024 by Argusvlinder

Dat ik de tentoonstelling ‘Gandhara heritage along the Silk Road’
kon bezoeken was zo’n enorm geluk.
Ook als ik nu aan de blogberichten werk geniet ik daar nog van.
In september vorig jaar was ik 1 hele dag in Lanzhou, toen ging
ik naar het Provincial Museum of Gansu.
Niet gereserveerd maar kon toch aan een kaartje komen.
Het was er erg druk. Ook zonder de tentoonstelling is dit
een heel interessant museum.

China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, The Great Departure, 3rd – 4th century, Mardan District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, grey schist.

Visit to the Ascetics, 2nd century, Gandhara District, Peshawar Museum, schist.

Het is voor mij altijd een beetje lastig om naar deze voorstelling te kijken maar ik neem aan dat het voor niet-Christenen ook ingewikkeld is om naar een gekruisigd persoon te kijken. Fasting Siddhartha, 3rd – 4th century, 1911 Jamal Garhi, Mardan District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist.

Wikipedia:

The ruins of Jamal Garhi were first discovered by the British explorer and archaeologist Sir Alexander Cunningham in 1848. The stupa at the site was opened by Colonel Lumsden in 1852 but little of value was found at the time. In 1871, the site was excavated by Lieutenant Cromten, who unearthed a large number of Buddhist sculptures which are now part of the collections of the British Museum and the Indian Museum in Calcutta. At the monastery a Kharoshti inscription (The Kharoṣṭhī script (Sanskrit: 𐨑𐨪𐨆𐨮𐨿𐨛𐨁𐨌), also known as the Gāndhārī script, was an ancient Indic script used by various peoples from the north-western outskirts of the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan) to Central Asia via Afghanistan.) was also discovered which is now kept in Peshawar Museum.

Meditation in the Indrasailaguha, 3rd – 4th century, Mamane Dheri, Charsadda District, Peshawar Museum, grey schist.

Wikipedia:

The Indrasala Cave, also called Indrasila Guha or Indrasaila Cave, is a cave site mentioned in Buddhist texts. It is stated in Buddhist mythology to be the cave where Buddha lived for a while, and gave the sermon called the Sakkapañha Sutta to deity Indra.

In the Sakkapañha Sutta sermon, the Buddha addresses Sakra (also known as Indra) accompanied by Pancasikha (also known as Kubera). After some harp-playing by Pancasikha, Indra asks 42 questions to the Buddha, which he answers. The teachings in this Indrasala Cave Sutta is, in part, the basis for the Theravada tradition of punna (earning merit) and varam (favor).

In een volgend bericht nog meer van deze tentoonstelling.

Argus in China

Posted on juni 5, 2024 by Argusvlinder

Net als al een paar oudere berichten komen al de voorwerpen
in dit bericht van de tentoonstelling Gandhara heritage along
the Silk Road – A Pakistan-China joint exhibition.
Deze tentoonstelling zag ik in Lanzhou, in het
Provincial Museum of Gansu.

China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Plinth with Bodhi tree (Pippala tree) decoration, 2nd century, Peshawar Museum, grey schist.

(Detail of) Standing Buddha, 1st -2nd century, Peshawar Museum, schist.

Interpretation of Maya’s dream, 2nd – 3rd century, Mardan, Guides Mess, Peshawar Museum, schist. Voor alle duidelijkheid: in het onderschrift bij de foto’s ziet u vaak de ‘naam’ van de voorstelling, de tijd waarin het voorwerp is gemaakt, de vindplaats gevolgd door het museum waar het stuk normaal verblijft en het materiaal waarvan het voorwerp gemaakt is.

Wikipedia:

Queen Maya’s Dream is an episode in the story of the life of The Buddha, representing his conception by his mother Queen Maya. It is a common scene in the life of Buddha in art, showing Maya asleep on her side having a dream. Of depictions including Maya, only the birth scene is more common. The incident is seen in several Buddhist sites like Barhut, Sarnath, Amaravati Stupa, Nagarjunakonda, Ajanta, other Gandharan sites, and sites in Central, South-East and East Asia. It is the first scene in the sequence of images telling the story of the birth of the Buddha.

Birth scene of Siddhartha, 3rd – 4th century, Saidu stupa (Saidu Sharif I), Swat District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, grey schist.

Bridal procession, 3rd century, Peshawar District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, grey schist.

Het is heel jammer dat er geen cattalogus verkrijgbaar was
van de tentoonstelling. Er moet heel wat te vertellen zijn
over deze prachtige voorwerpen.

Stone stupa, period from the Western Wei (535 – 557) to Northern Wei (386 – 535), fine sandstone, height 107cm.

Argus in China

Posted on mei 29, 2024 by Argusvlinder

Weer een vervolg op die mooie Gandhara-kunst.
Ik zag deze collectie in het Provincial Museum of Gansu in Lanzhou.

China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Fragment of a canopy depicting four kinnaras among lotus, 2nd – 3rd century, Peshawar District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, grey schist.

A donor figure with a candle, 2nd – 3rd century, Swat District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist.

Kiss scene, 3rd – 4th century, Butkara, Swat District, Swat Museum, soap stone.

Monk holding a lamp, 2nd – 3rd century, Peshawar District, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi, schist. Op de voet staat: ‘Bhiksu Dharmadeva’s statue’.

Wikipedia:

bhikṣu, commonly translated as “monk,” has at least three possible meanings:
(1) someone who begs;
(2) someone who has taken the highest level of Buddhist ordination; and
(3) someone who has destroyed mental afflictions.

Benefactor with cylindrical reliquary, 2nd – 3rd century, Gandhara District, Swat Museum, schist.

Love scene and Vihara (Buddhist temple), 1st – 2nd century, Butrag, Swat District, Swat Museum, grey schist.

Amorino (mythical figure) teasing a lion, 2nd – 3rd century, Ramdas Collection (een verzameling sculptures left by Shri Ramdas, an antique dealer of Rawalpindi who migrated to India in 1947), Rawalpindi, National Museum of Pakistan, Karachi grey schist. #notalion.

De tekst is waarschijnlijk niet leesbaar. Daarom: The relief shows a male lion crouching on the ground with his head raised; an amorino is riding the lion mischievously. The French scholar Alfred Foucher described this image as ‘a statue of Eros on a lion in heat’. In Hesiod’s Theogoney, Eros os the primordial god born after Chaos, Gaia, and Tartarus, who inspired the fertility of the gods.

Wikipedia:

The Theogony i.e. “the genealogy or birth of the gods” is a poem by Hesiod (8th–7th century BC) describing the origins and genealogies of the Greek gods, composed c. 730–700 BC. It is written in the Epic dialect of Ancient Greek and contains 1022 lines. It is one of the most important sources for the understanding of early Greek cosmology.

Alfred Charles Auguste Foucher (1865–1952), was a French scholar, who argued that the Buddha image has Greek origins. He has been called the “father of Gandhara studies”,

Argus in China

Posted on mei 23, 2024 by Argusvlinder

China, Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Ear pendant, 1st century BC, Silkap, Taxila, Taxila Museum, gold. Bijzonder voorwerp. Een bloedzuiger, dat is de vertaling van het Engelse woord ‘leech’. Zou niet mijn eerste keuze zijn om er een oorbel van te maken maar het resultaat mag er zijn!

Cult of the Triratna, 2nd – 3rd century, Takht-i-Bahi, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum, schist. ‘Takht-i-Bahi’ is de naam van een Buddhistisch klooster.

Wikipedia:

The Triratna is a Buddhist symbol, thought to visually represent the Three Jewels of Buddhism (the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha).

Het was een enorm geluk dat ik de kans had deze tentoonstelling te bezoeken. Het is voor mij weer een hele nieuwe iconografie. Cult of the relic stupas, 2nd – 3rd century, Takht-i-Bahi, Mardan District, Peshawar Museum.

Worshipping of the enthroned turban of Siddhartha, 2nd – 3rd centrury, Gandhara District, Peshawar Museum, schist. In plaats van Boeddha zelf af te beelden kun je ook een symbool dat nauw met hem verbonden is afbeelden, zoals zijn tulband. Dit is een gewoonte in meerdere religies.

The Buddha’s descent from the Trayastrimsa, 1st – 2nd century, Butkara I, Mingora, Swat District, Swat Museum, green schist. Trayastrimsa is eenvoudig gezegd een van de 6 hemelse ruimtes in het Boeddhisme. De voetstappen onder aan de middelste ladder zijn die van Boeddha.

Princely figure with a bunch of lotus flowers, 2nd – 3rd century, Islamabad Museum, schist.

Relief with a donor, 1st – 2nd century, Butkara, Swat Disctrict, Swat Museum, schist.

Argus in China

Posted on mei 20, 2024 by Argusvlinder

De beschrijving van het ‘Provincial Museum of Gansu’ was heel positief. ‘Provincial’ moet je ruim zien. Gansu is een enorme provincie in China. Tot mijn verrassing was er een tentoonstelling van kunst uit Gandhara. Het resultaat van een samenwerking tussen Pakistan en China. Gandhara Heritage along the Silk Road – A Pakistan-China joint exhibition. Wat een enorm geluk om die te kunnen zien!

Voor degene die niet bekend zijn met de kunst van Gandhare, hier een
vrije samenvatting van Wikipedia:

Gandhara was an ancient civilization centred in present-day north-west Pakistan and north-east Afghanistan. The core of the region of Gandhara was the Peshawar and Swat valleys.
The region was a central location for the spread of Buddhism to Central Asia and East Asia with many Chinese Buddhist pilgrims visiting the region.
Famed for its unique Gandharan style of art, the region attained its height from the 1st century to the 5th century CE under the Kushan Empire which had their capital at Peshawar.
The Greco-Buddhist art or Gandhara art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural combination of Ancient Greek art and Buddhism.
Beginning with Alexander the Great’s brief invasion into the area, followed by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka converting the region to Buddhism.
Gandhara art is characterized by Buddhist subjects, sometimes adapting Greco-Roman elements, rendered in a style and forms that are heavily influenced by Greco-Roman art. It has the strong idealistic realism and sensuous description of Hellenistic art, and it is believed to have produced the first representations of Gautama Buddha in human form.

Alle voorwerpen stonden achter glas. Dat is vaak niet de gewoonte in China. Lanzhou, Provincial Museum of Gansu, Gold bowl with image of Bacchus, 1st century BC, Gandhara District, Islamabad Museum, gold.

Atlas, 2nd – 3rd century, Gandhara District, Peshawar Museum, schist.

Tritons, 1st – 3rd century, Gandhara District, Peshawar Museum, schist.

Helaas weet ik niet waar en wanneer deze Teaching Buddha is gemaakt. Hij is prachtig.

Toilet tray with banquet scene, 1st century BC, Sirkap, Taxila, National Museum of Pakistan, schist.

Female holding a spear, 3rd – 4th century, Gandhara District, Swat Museum, schist.

Een eerste selectie.
In komende berichten meer.
Helaas was er geen catalogus van de tentoonstelling beschikbaar.
Ik ben bij meerdere souvenirshops in het museum gaan vragen.

Argusvlinder

De avonturen van de Argusvlinder

Tagarchief: Provincial Museum of Gansu

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

Argus in China

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