Periods, Cultures, Styles  > Gupta dynasty

Gupta dynasty

Some of India's earliest surviving paintings were created during this period at the Buddhist caves at Ajanta. The paintings are characterized by lively calligraphic line and life-like, contemporary details. By the end of the 4th century a distinctive Buddha icon had developed, characterized by monumental simplicity and refined realism. The figure has a calm and tranquil mood connoting a spiritual other worldliness that is a hallmark of the Gupta Buddhist style. During this period, Hindu art emerged into prominence. We also see a tendency to render deities as life-sized or larger and the consistent use of hierarchic scaling.