Living Traditions: la mostra sull'arte indiana al British Museum di Londra

22 Maggio 2025 , Scritto da Vincenzo Sebastiano

Gaja-Lakshmi ('Elephant Lakshmi') goddess of good fortune, about 1780 © The Trustees of the British Museum Gaja-Lakshmi (‘Elephant Lakshmi’) has yakshi (female nature spirit) origins. She bestows good fortune and is one of the most popular Hindu, Buddhist and Jain goddesses. The dark bodies of the elephants symbolise monsoon clouds filled with much-anticipated rain ready to bring the earth to life. This image so successfully conveys the message of abundance and fertility that it has remained largely unchanged for the last 2,000 years.

Al British Museum di Londra, la mostra "Ancient India: Living Traditions" presenta incantevoli immagini e oggetti che raccontano le origini e l'evoluzione dell'arte sacra dell'India attraverso oltre 2000 anni di storia. Un viaggio affascinante nel subcontinente indiano dal 22 maggio fino al 19 ottobre 2025.

Da dove ha origine l'immagine del tanto amato e giocoso dio indù Ganesha, con la testa di elefante e il ventre arrotondato? Cosa ha ispirato le raffigurazioni del sereno Buddha e dei maestri illuminati giainisti?

Spaziando per ben due millenni, la mostra racconta la nascita e lo sviluppo dell'arte sacra indù, giainista e buddista attraverso gli antichi e potenti spiriti della natura dell'India e la diffusione di quest'arte oltre il subcontinente.

Si tratta di una delle prime grandi mostre nel mondo ad esaminare l'antica arte devozionale indiana da una prospettiva multireligiosa, contemporanea e globale. I curatori intendono mettere in luce l'ispirazione e le idee che sono alla base delle varie raffigurazioni, oggi a tutti familiari, delle divinità e dei maestri illuminati di queste antichissime religioni, e di come esse si siano diffuse dall'Oceano Indiano al Sud-est asiatico e lungo le Vie della Seta fino all'Asia orientale.

Ardhanarishvara, ‘lord who is half
woman’, Shiva and Parvati
combined in one deity, about 1790-
1810

Ganesha made in Java from
volcanic stone, about AD 1000–1200

Head of a grimacing yaksha, about 2nd
or 3rd century

Seated Jain enlightened teacher
meditating, about 1150-1200

Silk watercolour painting of the
Buddha, China, about AD 701–750

Ardhanarishvara, ‘lord who is half woman’, Shiva and Parvati combined in one deity, about 1790- 1810 © The Trustees of the British Museum In some of the earliest representations of the Hindu god Shiva, he is depicted as Ardhanarishvara which represents the divine couple Shiva and Parvati. In this painting, Shiva is shown on the left with the river Ganges flowing from his matted hair while he carries a trident and drum. His consort Parvati wears a crown and holds prayer beads. Gouache on paper. Inscribed.

Bimaran casket, about 1st century © The Trustees of the British Museum The Buddha was first represented symbolically, through footprints or a tree, for example, and was only later depicted in human form. This gold reliquary might represent the earliest dateable image of the Buddha shown as a man, as coins found with it could date to the late 1st century AD. The Buddha stands with his right hand raised in the gesture of reassurance and is flanked by the gods Indra (right) and Brahma (left).

Ganesha made in Java from volcanic stone, about AD 1000–1200 © The Trustees of the British Museum Hindu ideas and imagery flowed in both directions between India and Southeast Asia. The elephant-headed god Ganesha is part of Southeast Asia’s diverse religious landscapes. This sculpture shows Ganesha’s traditional attributes, such as his broken tusk, axe and prayer beads, along with some differences. Javanese artists often portrayed him with skulls, his feet together and carrying an empty bowl rather than one filled with sweets, indicating that varying communities understood and worshipped him differently.

Head of a grimacing yaksha, about 2nd or 3rd century © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford This mottled pink sandstone figure represents a yaksha (male nature spirit). Yakshas can grant prosperity but also make life difficult if not properly placated This is represented by the fierce or scowling expressions on these yakshas. Leaves sprout above this yaksha’s ears which possibly connects him with trees.

Naga, about 17th century © The Trustees of the British Museum Stone plaque with the rearing figure of a five-headed cobra. Plaques like these can be difficult to date as some have been placed by sacred tree shrines for over a thousand years. Snake veneration belongs to the most ancient and potent substrate of Indian religion. Today, across India, popular veneration of divine snakes by followers of different religions still centres on devotional images such as this one.

Seated Jain enlightened teacher meditating, about 1150-1200 © The Trustees of the British Museum This marble figure depicts a Jain tirthankara (enlightened teacher). Tirthankaras are human, not divine, and the earliest certain representations of them in human form were shaped in Mathura, possibly in about the first century BC. Seated in meditation, the tirthankara has the sacred symbol of an endless knot in the middle of his chest.

Silk watercolour painting of the Buddha, China, about AD 701–750 © The Trustees of the British Museum From about the third century BC, following trading networks, Buddhist missionaries took their faith and its devotional art beyond India. In different regions, Buddhist art merged with local ideas and art to form new artistic styles. This is one of the oldest and best-preserved paintings from Cave 17 – the famous ‘Library Cave’ at Dunhuang. It shows the Buddha, seated between bodhisattvas, with his hands in the gesture of preaching This composition originates from earlier devotional images from India which became popular across East Asia.

Colorata, multisensoriale e suggestiva, la mostra è stata ideata e sviluppata in collaborazione con un comitato consultivo composto da indù, buddisti e giainisti praticanti. Queste tradizioni religiose viventi e la loro arte sacra sono ormai parte integrante della vita quotidiana di quasi due miliardi di persone in tutto il mondo, Regno Unito compreso.

Opere in Esposizione

La mostra propone un percorso artistico che copre oltre 2000 anni di storia con circa 180 opere provenienti dal British Museum e da importanti collezioni internazionali, europee, giapponesi e indiane.

Tipologie Artistiche

Sono esposte stampe, sculture, statue, disegni, schizzi, libri illustrati e dipinti che raccontano antiche storie celate dietro numerose tradizioni ancora viventi.

Dalle impronte simboliche che precedettero le rappresentazioni del Buddha in forma umana ai serpenti cosmici incorporati nell'arte indù, fino agli spiriti della natura che assistono i maestri illuminati giainisti: ogni opera esposta svela i segreti di un patrimonio artistico e spirituale millenario.

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