Myanmar Art

Temples in Pagan

The oldest monuments of art in Myanmar are the images of animals in caves near the town of Townji , dating from the early Neolithic.

Monument to Anauratha at the Pia U Lin Military Academy

The history of the art of Myanmar (Burma) is divided into three periods: the early - from the beginning of our era to the XVIII-IX centuries, the middle (classical), associated with the existence of the feudal state - from IX-X to XIII centuries, the late - from XIV to XIX century

Features of the art of peoples, including representatives of more than one hundred nationalities, lies in their geographical location, religion. The state borders on India, China and is located on the routes connecting India with Southeast Asia - Cambodia , Thailand , Indonesia . Myanmar's geographical location has led to a connection with the cultures and religions of these countries. From ancient times, Indian merchants and Buddhist preachers settled in Burmese territory. The vast majority of the population professes Buddhism (80-89%).

The main nationalities that contributed to the culture of Myanmar from the first millennium AD were Mona in the south of the country (the capital is the city of Tathoun ) and I drink in the north (the capital until the middle of the VIII century is the Old Prom ( Prome )). Both peoples were influenced by Indian culture.

In the fortification of Tathoun , the remains of the surrounding brick walls, two by one km in length, have been preserved. The ruins of diverse architectural forms, the temple of Lemietna (VIII century) have been preserved in the settlement of Prome (IX-X centuries). The surviving sculptures represent a seated Buddha , on whose sides there are deities or images of stupas. In the middle of the VIII century, Prome was destroyed, and the kingdom of Pagan was formed, with the center of the city of Pagan . The city was surrounded by a preserved brick wall with twelve gates. In the city there were hundreds of Buddhist monasteries decorated with silver, gold, cinnabar with bright colors.

In the XI century. Pagan became the capital of the state. Its ruler, Pagan Anaurath (1044-1077) was a follower of Buddhism of the Hinayana sense. The goal of Ruler Anauratha was to make his capital the world center of Orthodox Buddhism. To do this, he collected Buddhist relics everywhere. For their storage in Pagan numerous pagodas, stupas and libraries were built. An example is the Mahabodhi Temple (1218), built in the style of the ancient Indian sanctuary of Bodhgaya (5th century). The architects of Pagan used burnt brick and knock as the main building material, which affected the nature of Burma's architecture. So in Burmese architecture, the use of the arch and arch as a structural and decorative element is widely and varied.

In the architecture of Pagan, the type of square temple in plan with concentrically located corridors is widespread. An example of such a temple is the temple of Ananda. The temple houses monuments of Burmese wooden sculpture with Buddha images, a ten-meter bronze gilded sculpture. Pagan also has temples such as Ananda - Dhimiyand Temple (1160) and Thatbinyu Temple (1144) - the highest of Pagan temples. The iconography of Buddhist paintings in the temples was done by plaster tempera, in planar and graphic manners.

Burmese art of the post-Mongolian period is characterized by folk and national elements, reflected in the applied art of wood carving, carving and painting on varnish, coinage on silver.

In the XIV-XVIII centuries, separate capital cities were built on the territory of Myanmar - Ava , Pegu , Taungu , surrounded by walls and moats; temple complexes were created, huge open-air Buddha statues. In the centralized state of the Conbauns (XVIII — XIX centuries), urban development developed, wooden complexes of palaces ( Mandalay ) and monasteries were built, with carvings, paintings and gilding.

At this time, the art of bronze casting and coinage (Buddha statues, bells) was developed. In illustrations for books, along with scenes from jatak , secular themes appeared. At the end of the 19th century, realistic painting appeared (portraitist U Choon), in the 1920s, the artists U Ba Nyan and U Ba Zo worked here, painting landscapes, portraits, and genre scenes in oil.

Since 1948, modern public and industrial buildings have been built in the country according to the designs of Burmese and foreign architects, residential houses, schools, hospitals according to standard designs (architect U Maun Maun Ji and others). So the Soviet builders and architects in the country built the Technological Institute in Rangoon (1958-1961, architects P. G. Stenyushin, P. P. Kuznetsov and others), the Inya Hotel (1958-1961, architects V. S. Andreev, K. D. Kislova) and others.

Modern artists Wu San Wing, Wu Kin Maun, Wu Aun Kin, sculptors Wu Luin, Wu Han Tin united in 1964 into the Society of painters and sculptors. A watercolor landscape and book graphics are developing in the country (U Maun Jo, U Aun So).

In the 15th-19th centuries, dramatic art developed in numerous puppet theaters developed in the country. These theaters were very popular. The main themes of the performances were the epics from Mahabharata and Ramayana , Jataka (tales and fables about animals) of Buddhism. Currently, puppet theaters are also very popular in the country ^[1] . The development of puppet theaters takes place along the path of simplifying the management of dolls (puppeteers now control dolls through seventeen threads, instead of sixty earlier), participating in the representation of women in the role of dolls.

The monument of ancient Burmese literature includes a stone book with freestanding stone pages, written in small print in Pali , with stories about the life of Buddha. Later literary works were written in Burmese . Burma's medieval literature is represented by monastic poetry, court poetry, fiction and drama. The works were written on historical events, religious teachings and scenes from the life of royalty. Later, the heroes of the works were ordinary people from artisans and farmers. The poetic genre of yagan appeared in Burma, with versification forms departing from the traditional ones.

Since the 19th century, traditional crafts have been prevalent in the country. To this day, specialized quarters of workshop shops have been preserved in Mandalay , uniting artisans of 50 specialties (quarters of furniture makers, jewelers, craftsmen making umbrellas and fans, etc.). The specialization of villages, towns and districts on a particular craft has been preserved.

Burmese potters make thick-walled porous vessels, stucco decorations. Potters work mainly men. It is common to make wicker products made of cane, grass, rotan . Utensils are made from bamboo - scoops, pipes for supplying water, vessels for storing liquids, musical instruments and implements. Weaving is common.

In 2008, in the countryside of Khatakan-Taung, near the town of Mounyua , the highest monument Lechzhun-Sasachzha was built , which is a 116-meter tall statue of a standing Buddha on a pedestal 13.4 m high.

See also Myanmar Literature .

Myanmar museums include:

• National Museum in Yangon ^[2] (1952), consisting of halls of calligraphy, archeology, images of Buddha, culture and art, the Throne Hall.
• Archaeological Museum in Pagan.
• Museum of Jewels.
• Museum of precious stones.

• Ozhegova N. Art of Burma. Series: "Art of the countries and peoples of the world." - M.: Publishing. "Fine Art", 1980.
• The universal history of art. - T. 2, 6. - M .: State. Ed. "Art", 1961.
• The art of countries and peoples of the world. - T. 1. - M., 1962.
• Ozhegov S. S. Burma Architecture. - M., 1970.
• Ozhegova N. I. The Art of Burma. Album. - M., 1979.
• Aung thaw. Historical sites in Burma. - (Rangoon), 1972.

• Burma Art
• Art of the East
• Theatrical art of Burma