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| Category: | Cultures and Community |
| Created: | Nov 18, 2004 |
| Type: | Public |
| Members: | 52 |
| Owner: | Ana Jay |
| Language: | English |
| Country: | Sri Lanka |
Paintings, sculpture, architecture, and other forms of fine arts were used profusely in Sri Lanka, from very early times to
express Buddhist ideas and sentiment. The exceptionally rich heritage of visual arts of the Sinhala people of Sri Lanka
extends to a period that exceeds 2300 years, from the 3rd century BCE to the 21st CE. A spectacular collection of ancient
sculpture and architecture further adorns the island's culture. They are conspicuous elements of the
island's Buddhist culture.
Buddhism, which was introduced to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE, was the primary source of inspiration and influence
for artists, sculptors and architects of the country. The life of the Buddha, Jataka Tales based on former lives of the
Buddha, and the teachings of the Buddha were the predominant themes of ancient artistic pursuits including paintings.
The classical style of Sinhala art is naturalistic, exemplifying a transformation of nature by imaginative contemplation. Paintings show a highly tasteful use of a variety of colours and a skilful depiction of facial expressions of the figures.
Ancient secular paintings are also characterized by a strong spiritual predisposition, and are of great aesthetic appeal. Most are considered as masterpieces of human creative ingenuity and imagination. The outstanding quality of these ancient paintings was a determining factor in the identification of World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka by the UNESCO.
According to the UNESCO, 1037 Buddhist temples with paintings older than a 100 years, have been discovered in Sri Lanka
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