Life of Buddha in art
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Narrative images of episodes from the life of Gautama Buddha in art have been intermittently an important part of Buddhist art, often grouped into cycles, sometimes rather large ones. However, at many
Buddha in his period of austerities, Vietnam, 1794, lacquered wood
The Buddha's first meditation, as his father leads a ploughing ceremony. Buddha sits on a swing at left, shown as very young. Burmese manuscript, 19th century.
The First Seven Steps of the Buddha, at a temple in Australia
The Great Departure, Amaravati style, 2nd century, aniconic with a riderless horse
Aniconism
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Aniconism is the cultural absence of artistic representations of the natural and supernatural worlds, or it is the absence of representations of certain figures in religions. The prohibition of materi
An aniconic representation of Mara's assault on the Buddha, 2nd century CE, Amaravati, India.
Traditional flower offering to the aniconic Shiva linga in Varanasi
Persian miniature painting from the 16th century AD, depicting Muhammad, his face veiled, ascending on the Buraq into the Heavens, a journey known as the Mi'raj.
14th-century hagaddah depicting Moses leading the people (David Kaufmann collection)