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Dr. Karen Shelby

About Dr. Karen Shelby

Dr. Karen Shelby is an Assistant Professor of Art History at Baruch College, The City University of New York. Her research focuses on the visual culture of Flemish nationalism in the Great War. Her book, Flemish Nationalism and the Great War: The Politics of Memory, Visual Culture and Commemoration, will be published in spring 2014.

Great Stupa, Sanchi, India — A mound of dirt or the body of the Buddha? These sacred sites give practitioners insight into the Four Noble Truths.

The Great Stupa at Sanchi

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Stupa 3, 1st c., Sanchi, India (photo: Nagarjun Kandukuru, CC: BY 2.0) — A mound of dirt or the body of the Buddha? These sacred sites give practitioners insight into the Four Noble Truths.

The stupa

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Cave 19, Ajanta Caves — From simple assembly halls to expansive rock caves, buildings for Buddhist monks grew in complexity over time.

Buddhist Monasteries

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Lion Capital, Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath, c. 250 B.C.E., polished sandstone, 210 x 283 cm, Sarnath Museum, India (photo: AS Mysore for Vincent Arthur Smith, not in copyright - pre Independence princely state publication) — Topped with lions and lotus flowers, these ancient stone columns provide early evidence of the Buddhist faith.

Lion Capital, Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Ashokan pillar, c. 279 B.C.E. - 232 B.C.E, Vaishali, India (where Buddha preached his last sermon). Photo: Rajeev Kumar, CC: BY-SA 2.5) — Topped with lions and lotus flowers, these ancient stone columns provide early evidence of the Buddhist faith.

The Pillars of Ashoka

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Chaitya (monastic monument hall) at Bhaja, India — From simple assembly halls to expansive rock caves, buildings for Buddhist monks grew in complexity over time.

Buddhist monasteries

by Dr. Karen Shelby

Great Stupa at Sanchi, 3rd c. BCE - 1st c. CE, Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh (photo: AyushDwivedi1947, CC BY-SA 4.0) — A mound of dirt or the body of the Buddha? These sacred sites give practitioners insight into the Four Noble Truths.

The stupa

by Dr. Karen Shelby