The spread of Hinduism and Buddhism from the Indian subcontinent brought with it the strong influence along with. Nevertheless, Nepalese Art in time developed characteristics of its own. The reasons lay in the Nepal's geographic location and the extraordinary ingenuity of Nepalese Artists.

In fact, Nepal's history of Art has been influenced since earliest times by the Newars. They carried their craft and Artistic skill beyond the borders of Nepal to Tibet and China as well. The renowned Artist and architect, Arniko (1245-1306 A.D.), who came from Patan, worked in Lhasa and Peking on the commission of the emperor of China, Kubilai Khan.

The Art history of Nepal is divided into five major periods prior to the beginning of Gorkha dynasty.

Pre-Licchavi Art                                   until 200.A.D.

Licchavi Art                                         200 to 800 A.D.

The transitional period                       800 to 1200 A.D.

Early Malla Art                                    1200 to 1400 A.D.

Late Malla Art                                      1400 to 1768 A.D.

Only a few examples of Pre Licchavi Art have been found. Some terra- cotta figures from the period indicate the high - quality Artistic workmanship was already in existence. A systematic research should reveal more evidence of this period.

The Licchavi period has left us hundreds of stone sculptures which bear witness to the deep artistic achievement and talent of the people of the time. The sculptures demonstrate not only their deep religious roots but also the harmonies and integration of the two religions Hinduism and Buddhism in Nepal. Most of the figures show Vishnu in his different incarnations, (Shiva embracing his consort Parvati) Lokeswara, the munificent Bodhisattva and other different manifestations of Lord Buddha. The features of the sculptures are the Pre-classical, well - formed bodies and limbs, Artistically fashioned head dresses, figures depicted hips or breasts. Embellishment and the polished stone - work are also typical characteristic of this period. The records provided by the Chinese travellers to Nepal reveal about metal- working skill during Licchavis. Among other things, it tells us that King Narendra Deva wore a tiny golden figure of Buddha at his waist. The works in bronze, copper and gold reached the high skill of the Licchavi craftsmen.

Taken as a whole, Nepalese Art reached its zenith during the late Malla period. Bronze work made remarkable progress especially because of the flourishing trade in Nepalese Art products carried on with neighbouring Tibet. Trade routes traversed difficult terrain and took several weeks but it continued to Varnish. Sculptures in stone therefore, declined and could not display the quality of the Licchavi period. There are, however, some well known exceptions. The figures of Narsimha and Hanuman in front of the royal Palace in Bhaktapur, the stone image of Garuda in Hanuman Dhoka, the stone window in the Shiva - Pravati temple, in Kathmandu, the royal bath in Sundari Chowk in Patan are excellent examples of stone works of Malla period. These works of Art all date from the17th end 18th centuries.

Wood-carvings, too, reached its classical peak during the late Malla period. Many intricately carved windows of the private houses, palaces, and temples in Kathmandu valley are the fine examples of the achievements in wood works. The period also witness the count less roof struts on pagodas and other edifices, richly decorated with wood splendid carvings. Many excellent examples of wood works are also preserved in the museums of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.

This period also produced the finest Nepalese examples of paintings specially the, Paubhaspainted scrolls, frescoes or the wall paintings from the late Malla period the famous frescoes are to be found in the temple of the Kumari in Kathmandu, Bagh Bhairava temple in Kirtipur and in the Durga temple in Panauti.

Work in ivory also made its first appearance during this period and the examples that have been discovered display a high quality of Artistic skill. They include a small hand mirror with a figure of Vishnu,- flanked by Lakshmi and Garuda carved on the handle. A figure of Bhringi, an attendant beating a drum, several book covers and an ivory window in the ancient royal palace of Kathmandu are also good examples of the period. Terra-cotta works of the period are Mahabauddha temple in Patan, the figure of Ananta Narayan in Pashupatinath, and some statues of animals in the courtyard of Kumari.

Another important aspect of Nepalese Art from this period is the strong influence of Tantrism sculptures. Paintings of the late Malla period are depicted with symbolic figures and emblems evidenced the strong influence of Tantrism. Tantrism displays a true religious harmony and tolerance elaborate and Artistic ornamentation. Decorative floral motifs and the frequent portrayal of Mongoloid faces are also the other features of Tantrism.

The greatest achievements of the late Malla period lie in the field of architecture. The majority of pagodas, shrines, temples, and mediavel palaces in the Kathmandu were either made or renovated during this period.

Art Forms

Stone-sculpture in Nepal can be traced back to the middle of the 3rd century B.C. The Ashokan Pillar in Lumbini is the earliest monument. The relief of the Vishnu Vikrantamurti in Pashupatinath is one of the earliest dated stone sculptures found in Nepal. The stone image of Vishnu Narayan on a bed of snakes in Budhanilkantha and the standings Buddha in Swayambhunath are also works from the period between the 8th and 10th centuries. The sculptors worked mainly in sandstone, granite and limestone. In order to protect sandstone sculptures from the ravages of the weather, a special technique was evolved over the years. The figures were covered with a thin film of liquid metal, left to cool and then given a highly - polished finish

Bronze Casting- In ancient Nepal, the Licchavis already produced attractively decorated copper coins; bronze gargoyles with gift crocodile heads provided an unusual attraction in the royal palace. The Pala School in India (Pale dystany in Bihar and Bengal, 8th -12th centuries) also influenced Nepalese Art which, developed an original form and reached a high standard of Artistic achievement in the 15th century.

The wax flowsout through the holes and the clay becomes firm enough to take the liquid bronze poured through the space left by the wax. Special care is taken to see that the core and the mould remain aligned. Solid casting is less complicated and is normally used for small figures. The process is similar except that a compact wax figure without a core is used. In both processes the mould can only be used once. The finished product was often gilded and sometimes studded with semiprecious stones like corals, garnets and turquoises.

Another highly developed method of producing Art work in metal was the use of hammered sheet copper. Fine examples of this method are the Golden Gate in Bhaktapur and the Jamuna state in Mul Chowk Patan.

Terra-cotta sculpture and architecture clay and loess have been excellent, economical materials for the production of a great variety of sculptures for thousand of years. During excavation work in the townships of Tilaurakot, Banjarahi and Kudan in Terai, terra-cotta figures from the 3rd to 1st centuries B.C. were found.

Apart from various sculptures in the museums of the three forums royal cities, the most beautiful terra-cotta works of Art are the larger than life figure of Ananta Narayan (Vishnu) in Pashupatinath and the Mahabauddha temple in Patan.

Painting

The oldest preserved Nepalese paintings date from the 10th and 11th centuries A.D. These painted manuscript covers and the various manuscript illustrations display a high level of Artistic skill. They are mostly miniatures of the different manifestations of Shiva, the incarnations of Vishnu, and many deities of the Buddhist pantheon. The colours have weathered the centuries well and still retain the original brilliance. The favourite colours of the Nepalese painters were yellow, white, indigo, lamp black, green and vermilion, The paints were made from plants earth and minerals. The use of natural pigments by the Nepalese continued till the 19th century. Gold was often used for crowns and special ornamentation.

After the 13th century, many 'Paubhas' - the painted scrolls were painted and they are mostly kept in temples and shrines. They are primarily painted as objects of spiritual and religious inspiration displayed on certain occasions only.

The mandala stands for the comas - the sanctified area of the great mystery in the centre of which the domain of the gods is to be found. In some paintings spiritual world is revealed. Such Paubhas are dominated by countless Buddha and Bodhisattvas depicted together with their female counterparts often accompanied by benign and fierce deities and mythical figures Temple construction. The Kathmandu valley has been known since time immemorial as the dwelling place not only of man but also of the gods. As the time passably population of the valley grew, so the number of their gods remarked that this is why there are more temples than houses in the valley and more gods than people.