Ronald M. Davidson — The Beginnings of the Buddha Image
Art historian traces how Buddhist communities transitioned from symbolic representations to human depictions of the Buddha, across India and Central Asia.
Date & Time at 7:30 PM PST
Location La Jolla Athenaeum Music & Arts Library San Diego, US
Organizer La Jolla Athenaeum
Why we picked this
How did the Buddha go from symbol to sculpture? A precise art history lecture that connects Alexander the Great, Indian religions, and spirit cults.
For centuries, Buddhist communities represented the Buddha through symbols — footprints, wheels, empty thrones — rather than human form. Professor Emeritus Ronald M. Davidson traces the shift: how contact with Alexander the Great’s Hellenistic legacy, prevailing religions, and local spirit cults across India and Central Asia gradually produced the human Buddha image we recognize today.
Free at the La Jolla Athenaeum, one of San Diego’s most distinctive cultural institutions — a membership library that hosts lectures, concerts, and exhibitions in an intimate setting.