G. Forgione, “Pigments and painting techniques of the Buddhist clay sculpture in Afghanistan: some preliminary observations”. Gandhāran Artists and Artisans. Representations of an Era of Religious Images, International Colloquium University of Strasbourg, 22–23 May 2024.

Abstract: The clay sculpture tradition constitutes an essential part of the Buddhist art in Afghanistan and Central Asia, which enjoyed its heyday between approximately the 3rd and 8th centuries CE. The focus of my presentation is the use of colour, a theme that will be explored both in terms of materials and techniques of paint preparation and application through a critical review of chemical-physical analyses carried out in the last few years by various institutes. The aim of this investigation is to reconstruct not only the general appearance of the sculptures but also to track the artists’ knowledge of pigments and specific techniques, which in turn raises questions about the little-known system of workshops, apprenticeship and training in arts and crafts. This approach may also provide crucial insights into the economics of art-making, such as the availability of more or less valuable materials in specific areas and periods, as well as the non-casual nature of aesthetic choices certainly aimed at expressing symbolic meanings that still remain difficult for us to decode and understand.