This chapter mainly explains the influence Alexander the Great and Greek art had in India. I came to understand that basically it talked about the many different forms The Buddha took depending on which culture was depicting him. In both the eastern and western parts of the empire coins were found which used Greek symbols and even lettering. I was really taken aback when reading and corresponding with the images of The Buddha that basically looked completely Greek. I’m not sure how this was received then, but as a contemporary viewer it really makes me think about how much art influences the depictions of ‘spiritual leaders’ of different religions. Also it made me realize how much art forces us to preconceptualize. I almost felt like The Buddha lost all of his meaning and identity with a halo behind his head, robes, and perfect proportions. The other aspect I thought was interesting was the narratives presented on the Stupas and how the figure of The Buddha seemed much larger than any other figure. This was the same motif Christian northern Europeans such as Jan van Eyck, in ‘Madonna in the Church’ used out of context proportions to point out the other worldly qualities in the divine figure being presented. Also the ‘Last Judgment’ by Gislebertus. Below is a link to the ‘The Last Judgement’.
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