Art of South Asia

Educator Stacey Gomez Chaleff delves into the art of South Asia through the sculptures Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) (c. 1000), Buddha Shakyamuni (c. 1100), and Railing Pillar: The Great Departure of Siddhartha (c. 100 BCE).

The series Spotlight on Art: Videos for Schools offers a closer look at objects from the Norton Simon collections. Featuring 2 to 3 artworks, each video is designed to encourage prolonged looking, reflection and discussion, while also including information about the artist and historical context. What’s more, the series provides an ongoing connection to the Museum for teachers and students from afar. We encourage you to use these videos in combination with our curriculum packets, activity lesson plans, and other related materials provided in the links below.

FEATURED ARTWORKS

• Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja), India: Tamil Nadu
• Buddha Shakyamuni, India: Tamil Nadu
• Railing Pillar: The Great Departure of Siddhartha, India: Madhya Pradesh, Bharhut

LEARN MORE

• Watch: Pillars from the Bharhut Stupa Railing
• Read: South Indian Bronzes at the Norton Simon Museum
• Curriculum Packet: Asian Art
• Curriculum Packet: Sculpture

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• South Asia
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Resource for Educators
• Asian Art Museum: Lesson Plans and Activities
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Van Gogh biography
• Shiva as Lord of Dance
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja)
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) video
• Buddha Shakyamuni
• Art Institute of Chicago: Buddha Shakyamuni: A Curator's Insight