The Qingzhou Buddhas
September 28th 2008 01:44
The Lost Buddhas of QINGZHOU
It's a good time to go to the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney. The Lost Buddhas from Qingzhou are on show. The Dobell Drawing prize show is on upstairs and starting October 11 there's a exhibition of Monet and other Impressionist art! Plus as its school holidays no school excursions to dodge!
One of the Lost Buddhas of Qingzhou
Whether you're a student of art history or just some one who wants to see some beautiful sculptures you'll enjoy this exhibit. The Qingzhou Buddhas from Shandong Province were fortunately found during construction work next to a school ( which meant with them being in such public view there was no way any of them could disappear onto the black market) and are defintely one of the major finds of this century.
There are several theories as to why they were buried?
The style is unique and unusual, similar to other Wei works but also having features that remind me of later SE Asian art that appeared several centuries later?
My guess is that they were created in a local workshop by a team of sculptors and painters with a master creating template reference images and local carvers in wood retrained to work in stone as the finer incised details and the colors seem to me to have been added by other artists to the sculptures ?
Enjoy also their serenity and calm and poise and avoid the tour guides!
I loved this so much I'm going to tkae a second look when the Monet show opens!
If you're in Sydney visit the Art Gallery of NSW!
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