Buddha as Mendicant

Abanindranath Tagore’s 'Buddha as Mendicant', painted around 1914, is an important work of the Bengal School and of early modern Indian art. The painting was made as an illustration for Myths of the Hindus & Buddhists, a book associated with Sister Nivedita and Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. It reflects an important aspect of the Bengal School: the attempt to look towards Indian religious and artistic traditions while also finding a different way of representing them. Tagore does not show the Buddha as a grand or heavily ornamented religious figure. Instead, he presents him as a wandering mendicant who has given up his former life. The Buddha stands quietly, wrapped in a loose saffron robe. The robe covers most of his body, but its folds are carefully drawn and give the figure a slight sense of movement. From underneath it, one hand can be seen holding an alms bowl. The bowl is very simple, and this simplicity adds to the image of a person who has turned away from worldly possessions. The face of the Buddha is perhaps the most striking part of the painting. His eyes are long and slightly lowered, and he does not look directly at the viewer. There is a sense that his attention is directed inwards. This makes the figure appear calm rather than imposing. Behind his head is a faint halo. It is not painted as a strong burst of light. Instead, it seems to dissolve gradually into the dark background. The effect is subtle and suggests that the Buddha’s spiritual state comes from within. Tagore’s treatment of colour also contributes to this mood. He uses mainly ochres, browns and other subdued shades, with a dark background surrounding the figure. The limited use of bright colours prevents the painting from becoming visually dramatic. At the same time, the warm colour of the robe separates the Buddha from the darkness around him. There is also a clear influence of Japanese painting techniques in the work, particularly in the use of soft washes, restrained colours and delicate handling of the figure. Yet Tagore does not simply imitate Japanese art. He adapts these techniques to an Indian subject and to the visual ideas that were developing within the Bengal School. What makes the painting effective is its quietness. There is no elaborate setting and very little unnecessary detail. The Buddha’s simple robe, alms bowl, lowered eyes and faint halo are enough to communicate his renunciation. Tagore therefore moves away from presenting the Buddha only as an ideal religious image and instead focuses on the human figure who has chosen to leave worldly desires behind. The spiritual quality of the painting comes less from conventional symbols than from the calmness of the figure itself.