Bamiyan West Buddha Niche: Seated Bodhisattvas

AFGHANISTAN, Bamiyan

These murals of seated Bodhisattvas were located in the middle of the ceiling within the West Buddha Niche. The main image was a seated Maitreya Bodhisattva. Various Bodhisattva images surrounded Maitreya, and above him was the Dragon Flower Tree. Two heavenly musicians were located to the left of and below Maitreya. There were two rows and three columns of seated Bodhisattvas in ladder-shaped niches with rows of Bodhisattvas outside these niches. The backs of the niches were decorated with hexagonal patterns that are unique to Bamiyan.
The Bodhisattvas were adorned with headdresses, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. They wore long dhotis and had bare upper torsos with stoles flowing down from their shoulders. Detailed shading and outlines were used in the image. The use of distinct lighting and shading, the clothing and accessories, and the use of three-dimensional rendering, were the result of the influence of the Gupta period (circa 320–540).