The Gupta period had witnessed a cultural resurgence in the fields of art, architecture, sculpture and literature in which the Gupta ruler excelled more than most of the dynasties that ruled India.
Salient features of Art in the Gupta period:-
- The Gupta art relied more on elegance than volume.
- There is naturalness in the Gupta art.
- The Gupta artists seem to have been master to technique.
- They showed simplicity of style ad felicity of expression.
- Profound spiritual and religious appeal can be found in Gupta art.
- The Gupta art is famous for ‘Rupam‘ or concept of beauty.
Prominent categories of Art in Gupta Period:-
- Cave Architecture: The caves of the Buddhist and Hindus sects denote the architectural pattern of the Guptas. Ajanta, Ellora caves and the Bagh cave paintings denote the Buddhist outline. Hindu caves are found in Udayagiri, Bhopal. The cave paintings of Gupta period conspicuously differ from the others due to their artistic elegance and design.
- Temple Architecture: Free standing sculptural temples were the chief features of temple architecture during the Gupta period. The talent of Gupta architect found expression in the sculpture of the ‘dome’.
- Sculpture: The style of Gandhara School of art and sculpture had attained an unprecedented excellence during the Gupta period. During the Gupta period, spiritual and religious themes dominated the field of sculptures.
- Paintings: During the Gupta period, painting had assumed a secular character. The cave paintings of Ajanta, Badami and Bagh were the representations of Gupta paintings. The cave paintings mainly depicted the Jataka stories and the life of Lord Buddha.
The glories of the Gupta period are partly due to Gupta Art.
Art, architecture and sculpture of the Gupta period had scaled peak heights, for which the Gupta phase has been given the epithet “The Golden age of India”.
