Tradition and modernity
The cultural heritage of Central Asia in the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century kept what the centuries and millenia of its earlier history has been able to transmit to us: examples of great constructions. The diversity of architectural types and decorative techniques are present in the habitations of the upper middle class, in the mosques of the villages and in the country. They differ due to regional climatic conditions rather than old architectural traditions. The important towns of Central Asia had regional decorative schools which were formed on the basis of local tradesmen’s corporations. In spite of similarities in decorative composition principles, the artistic techniques of these centres were different, in the wood carving as well as in the details of ornaments and colours. Thanks to an exuberant wealth, sculpted columns, carved doors, “claustras”, and perforated stucco panels, painted walls and ceilings, gave great beauty to the insides of the houses and mosques.
From the establishment of the Soviet power a vast program of urbanisation was set up in Central Asia. One of the tendencies of modern architecture drew upon the national heritage. In the first place, the modern architecture, which borrowed traditional planning from medieval architecture took into account the natural conditions particular to each region (aeration systems, principles of orientation, antiseismic measures). Many elements common to the old architecture were introduced with great success in the planning of the edifices, such as the ogival arches, the vaulted iwans or the stalactites with monumental forms which may protect from the sun. Modern urban architecture takes its inspiration mainly form traditional decoration. An original inspiration in the technique of glazed earthenware tiles was realised in 1927 on the pedestal of the Lenin monument at Achkhabad, where the majolica shapes imitate the motifs and colouring of a Turkman carpet.
The perforated panels of geometrical motifs adorned the Uzbek and Tajik pavilions at the National Agricultural Exposition of Moscow in 1937.
They were executed by popular artists. The great Navoï Theatre, built in Tashkent from 1940–1947, is a real laboratory of artistic co-operation between Soviet architects and the best craftsmen of Uzbek applied arts.
During the last decade, traditional architecture, ornamental sculpture and monuments have often been used by popular Uzbek, Tajiks, and Turkmen artists (the artists of Kyrgyzstan preferring national motifs worked in felt or leather appliqué) for the decoration of public establishments, museums, cultural palaces, rural clubs, and metropolitan stations.
Crowned head, 8th or 9th century. Limestone, height: 30 cm. Khalili Collection.
Sculpture
According to biblical legend, God shaped the first man from the dust of the ground. This myth explains the conception of the generation of this distant epoch, clay being the essential material used for modelling. In Central Asia, nature has been generous and clay that can be used by man was plentiful everywhere. This is why in this area the sculptures were mainly in clay rather than in wood, plaster or stone.
Statuary
Hellenism was a powerful inspiration in the development of plastic art in Central Asia. The importation of Greek statues and their local execution by sculptors of the Hellenistic school have been corroborated by archaeological discoveries.
Hellenistic contributions
Hellenistic art excerts its influence directly in Bactria and in the eastern regions of the Parthian realm. For instance, the Head of Heracles from the Khalchayan Palace is remarkable for the expression of the face which bears the dramatic imprint of inner sufferings, a dominating accomplishment of Hellenistic sculpture.
But this aesthetic conception would soon blend into a purely Asiatic understanding of the tasks and forms of art. The representations of Heracles and Athena in the Khalchayan Palace already offer serious modifications to the local culture: Athena’s face is far from having the majesty of Zeus’ daughter. Only the form of her helmet makes her recognisable.
At the beginning of our era several important centres of culture already existed. At Khalchayan, reliefs were mainly realised in painted clay. They were among the mural compositions with numerous figures where the heads of the characters were worked in high relief and even in round bosse. The themes of sculptural cycles essentially celebrate the ruling dynasty of the monarchs at the beginning of the Kushan Empire. There were scenes of solemn ceremonies and heroic exploits: the royal couple on their thrones, their family and noblemen, a victorious battle. On the frieze, children are represented wearing heavy garlands on their shoulders. Inside the curves of the garland are small half-figures of disguised people, satyrs, actors, and young girls with musical instruments.
All are part of a feast, a theatrical representation, or a remembrance of the Dionysiac games. This kind of frieze came from the eastern region of the Parthian kingdom as far as the Kharezm Province. At Staraia Nisa and Toprak-Kala matrices in baked or unbaked clay have been discovered; the first are moulds of an actor’s mask, his mouth open, the other a simple face with a flat nose, pointed ears, and satyr’s horns.
Realistic and expressive, the sculptures of Khalchayan do not define the authenticity of the portrait but only show an ethnic type and the model’s age and temperament.
Sacrificial table leg, 5th-3rd century BCE. The Historical Museum of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Sacrificial table leg, 5th-3rd century BCE. The Historical Museum of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Buddhist influence
During the first centuries of our era, Bactrian sculpture received a strong Buddhist influence from India. The statues and reliefs at Air-tam and Stary Termez follow the Buddhist canons, but at the same time keep the stamp of the local school of sculpture.
The high-relief in white stone of the Fayaz-tepe monastery at Termez, represents Buddha seated in the shade of a tree surrounded by monks who look at him with a very canonical humility. The buildings of the Air-tam monastery are also decorated with sculptures in white stone. Excavations brought to light fragments of a great statue of Buddha and more recently a monumental block with an inscription in Bactrian-Kushan where Huvishka, king of the Kushan, Shodiya, the founder of the monastery, and the master Mehrzad, probably a sculptor, are mentioned.
The sculptures over the inscription are supposed to represent Shodiya and his wife (the figures are only half preserved). The legs are naked. The woman wears an ample garment. Her legs are crossed, bracelets adorn her ankles, characteristic details of Hindu art. Using real people as models of minor gods of Buddhist mythology, Bactrian sculptors were less restricted by the canons and were freer in their creations. Executed with the technique of sculpture in clay or plaster, the inhabitants of the sky (deva) of Dalverzin-Tepe, with their young and tender faces and curly hair divulge the models of Praxitele’s school. The delicate sculpture, creating a rich clair-obscure effect, the slight smile, the pensive gaze, all this gives a great spirituality to the faces. Representing the laity, the sculptors of Dalverzin-Tepe try to create not realistic but idealised portraits.
Although the individual lines of the face are preserved, signs of age, character or emotional state are absent. The social position of each character on the hierarchic scale is expressed by its size. The members of the dynasty are larger than life, their wives half their size, the noblemen even smaller.
Head of a Kushan prince, 1st-2nd century. Plaster. Fine Arts Institute, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Buddha and monks from Fayaz-Tepe, 1st-2nd century. Museum of the History of the Peoples of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Khwarezm sculptures
The process gradually leading to abstraction in representations appears in the Khwarezm sculptures.