r/BuddhistArt

My dad is getting ready to carve a white marble Bodhisattva head in the style of the early Northern and Southern Dynasties. I am documenting the whole journey to share with you all.
Stone carving is a subtractive art. There is no going back once you make a cut. Because of this, he always creates a 1:1 clay model first. This allows him to add and remove material freely while perfecting the lines and the 3D proportions.
I wanted to share this stage of the process with anyone who appreciates Buddhist art and sculpture. Watching a lifeless lump of clay slowly take on such a peaceful and divine presence is incredibly therapeutic and powerful.

Approx. 5’ tall Buddha in stone from a visit to the Government Museum in Chennai, India. Says both Suthamalli and Trichy so unsure of exact origins but it is definitively from Tamil Nadu. 3 lions are featured on the bottom and I think yakshas on either side of Buddha. He is depicted in dhyana mudra. The pillars show carvings of dharmachakra.