Which of the following feature/s is/are true regarding Mathura Art ? (a) The sculpture were made of red sand stones. (b) In this style Bodhisattavas, Buddha, Jain Tirthankaras and Hindu gods & goddess have been depicted. (c) The large number of Jaina sculpture found at Kankali Tila in Mathura. Codes:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The Mathura School of Art, which flourished mainly during the Kushana period, is a crucial indigenous art form of ancient India, originating in and around the city of Mathura. All three statements accurately describe its key characteristics, making the combined option (a), (b), and (c) the correct choice. Statement (a) is true because the material predominantly used by the Mathura artists was spotted red sandstone, sourced locally from the Sikri area. This gives the sculptures their distinctive color and texture. Statement (b) highlights the inclusive and syncretic nature of this art school. Unlike some other schools that focused primarily on Buddhism, the Mathura artists depicted not only Bodhisattavas and the Buddha but also Jain Tirthankaras and various Hindu deities like Vishnu and Shiva, reflecting Mathura's status as a major religious hub for multiple faiths. Furthermore, statement (c) is also true; Kankali Tila in Mathura is one of the most important archaeological sites related to Jainism and has yielded a large number of impressive Jain sculptures, confirming the vibrant presence of Jain iconography within the Mathura art tradition.

The incorrect option is 1:
Option 1 suggests that only statement (b) is correct, but this is a limited view of the Mathura School's features. While the multi-religious depiction of figures (Buddha, Tirthankaras, Hindu gods) is certainly a defining characteristic of Mathura Art, ignoring the other points means overlooking equally important technical and archaeological facts. Specifically, the use of red sandstone (a) and the significant findings at Kankali Tila (c) are foundational facts of this art style. Therefore, selecting only (b) excludes essential information about the medium and the major discovery sites associated with this art form, making the answer incomplete and incorrect.

The incorrect option is 2:
Option 2 claims that only statement (c) is correct, focusing solely on the archaeological findings of Jaina sculptures at Kankali Tila. This is incorrect because, although the Kankali Tila findings are highly significant, they represent only one aspect of the Mathura Art School. This option fails to account for the primary medium of the art, which is the locally sourced red sandstone mentioned in (a). Most importantly, it neglects the broad iconographic range described in (b), which is the most widely recognized feature of the Mathura school—the simultaneous representation of Buddhist, Jaina, and Hindu figures. Since Mathura art is defined by its medium and diverse subject matter as much as its sites, Option 2 is insufficient.

The incorrect option is 3:
Option 3 suggests that only statements (a) and (c) are correct, focusing on the material (red sandstone) and the Jaina findings (Kankali Tila). By omitting statement (b), this option incorrectly ignores the vast scope of religious figures depicted in Mathura art. The ability of the Mathura school to represent Bodhisattavas, the Buddha, Jain Tirthankaras, and Hindu deities simultaneously is arguably its most distinctive conceptual feature and a critical point of comparison with other art schools like the Gandhara school. Therefore, a selection that excludes the diverse religious iconography of the Mathura school is factually incomplete and must be deemed incorrect.