Colouring the Body
Pigments, Symbolism, and Beauty Practices in Ancient Afghan Buddhist Art
Abstract
This paper examines the role of colour, pigments, and ornamentation in Afghan Buddhist clay and stucco sculpture (4th-8th c. AD). Moving beyond purely symbolic interpretations, it considers pigments both as precious materials and as elements of visual experience. The relationship between sculptural ornamentation, real objects, and broader visual traditions receives particular attention. The study also investigates whether pigment choices may reflect culturally embedded ideals of beauty and bodily appearance, including practices comparable to the use of cosmetics, thereby opening new perspectives on artistic production, material culture, and perceptions of the body.
open access | peer reviewed
Submitted: Aug. 11, 2026 | Published Forthcoming | Language: en
Keywords Ornamentation • Bodily appearance • Pigments • Beauty • Cosmetic practice • Buddhist art
Copyright © 2026 GIULIA FORGIONE. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/979-12-5742-112-0/003