Sculpture MCQs for UPSC Prelims

47 practice questions on Sculpture from the Art & Culture section of the UPSC Prelims syllabus. 47 come with a written explanation and 4 are actual previous year questions. Try the sample set below - the answer stays hidden until you ask for it.

11 Easy 21 Medium 15 Hard 4 from past papers

Sample questions

Q1
Previous year question hard

With reference to India's history of art and culture, consider the following pairs : Famous work of sculpture -- Site 1. A grand image of Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with numerous celestial musicians above and the sorrowful figures of his followers below : Ajanta 2. A huge image of Varaha Avatar (boar incarnation of Vishnu), as he rescues Goddess Earth from the deep and chaotic waters, sculpted on rock : Mount Abu 3. "Arjuna's Penance" / "Descent of Ganga" sculpted on the surface of huge boulders : Mamallapuram Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only

The grand image of the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana with celestial musicians above and grieving followers below is at Ajanta (Cave 26), so pair 1 is correct, and the dramatic open-air rock relief variously called Arjuna's Penance or the Descent of the Ganga is at Mamallapuram, so pair 3 is correct. The famous rock-cut Varaha rescuing the Earth Goddess is at Udayagiri in Madhya Pradesh, not Mount Abu, so pair 2 is wrong. The answer is 1 and 3 only.

Q2
Previous year question medium

Lord Buddha's image is sometimes shown with the hand gesture called 'Bhumisparsha Mudra'. It symbolizes

  1. A Buddha's calling of the Earth to watch over Mara and to prevent Mara from disturbing his meditation
  2. B Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara
  3. C Buddha's reminder to his followers that they all arise from the Earth and finally dissolve into the Earth, and thus this life is transitory
  4. D Both the statements (a) and (b) are correct in this context
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Buddha's calling of the Earth to witness his purity and chastity despite the temptations of Mara

The Bhumisparsha (earth-touching) mudra shows the Buddha seated with the right hand reaching down to touch the ground, calling the Earth to witness his merit, purity and steadfastness as he overcame Mara's temptations on the path to enlightenment, so option (b) matches the official key. Option (a) misstates the symbolism as merely guarding against Mara, option (c) describes a different idea of transience, and (d) is wrong because (a) is not correct. This item was widely disputed between (a) and (b); the official answer is (b).

Q3
Previous year question easy

The famous female figurine known as 'Dancing Girl', found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

  1. A carnelian
  2. B clay
  3. C bronze
  4. D gold
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - bronze

The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro is a small bronze statuette cast by the lost-wax (cire perdue) technique, demonstrating the advanced metallurgy of the Harappan civilization, so (c) is correct. Carnelian was used by the Harappans for beads and ornaments, not for this figurine, ruling out (a). Clay or terracotta was the medium for toy carts and mother goddess figurines, not the Dancing Girl, so (b) is wrong. Gold objects from the Indus sites are limited to jewellery items, making (d) incorrect. This is a standard NCERT fact.

Q4
Previous year question hard

With reference to the art and archaeological history of India, which one among the following was made earliest?

  1. A Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar
  2. B Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli
  3. C Rock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram
  4. D Varaha Image at Udayagiri
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B - Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli

The rock-cut elephant at Dhauli near Bhubaneswar is Mauryan work of the third century BCE, carved above the rock bearing Ashoka's edicts, making it the earliest of the four. The Varaha image in the Udayagiri caves near Vidisha is Gupta sculpture of the early fifth century CE, carved under Chandragupta II. The rock-cut monuments at Mahabalipuram, including the rathas and mandapas, are Pallava creations of the seventh century CE under Narasimhavarman I and his successors. The Lingaraja temple at Bhubaneswar is the latest, an eleventh-century CE Kalinga-style temple. The chronological order is therefore Dhauli, Udayagiri, Mahabalipuram, Lingaraja.

Q5
medium

With reference to the Gandhara school of sculpture, consider the following statements: 1. It flourished largely in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent. 2. It used blue-grey schist and later stucco as its principal media. 3. The Buddha figures of this school show strong Hellenistic-Roman stylistic influence in drapery and facial features. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A 1 and 2 only
  2. B 2 and 3 only
  3. C 1 and 3 only
  4. D 1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D - 1, 2 and 3

All three are correct. The Gandhara school developed in the north-west (around present-day Peshawar valley and adjoining areas) under Indo-Greek and Kushana patronage. Its sculptors worked first in blue-grey schist and, in later phases, in stucco. The Buddha images display wavy hair, sharp features and toga-like flowing robes reflecting Graeco-Roman (Hellenistic) influence. Hence statement 1, 2 and 3 are all accurate, making option 4 the answer.

Q6
hard

With reference to the Gandhara and Mathura schools of sculpture, consider the following statements: 1. The Gandhara school developed under strong Greco-Roman (Hellenistic) influence and commonly used grey schist. 2. Early Mathura images of the Buddha were carved in spotted red sandstone. 3. The Gandhara school was patronised largely under the Kushanas. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correct. The Gandhara school (north-western India) shows marked Hellenistic/Greco-Roman influence in wavy hair, realistic drapery and physiognomy, and typically used bluish-grey schist. The Mathura school worked in distinctive spotted red sandstone. Both schools flourished under Kushana patronage, particularly during Kanishka's reign, when the anthropomorphic Buddha image developed. Therefore all three statements are correct.

Q7
medium

Consider the following statements regarding the Gandhara and Mathura schools of sculpture: 1. The Gandhara school shows strong Greco-Roman (Hellenistic) influence in the depiction of the Buddha. 2. The Mathura school used red sandstone as its principal medium. 3. Both schools flourished notably during the Kushana period. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. A Only one
  2. B Only two
  3. C All three
  4. D None
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C - All three

All three are correct. The Gandhara school, centred in the north-west, depicted the Buddha with wavy hair, drapery and naturalism reflecting Greco-Roman influence, so statement 1 is right. The Mathura school worked predominantly in the locally available spotted/mottled red sandstone, so statement 2 is right. Both schools reached prominence under the Kushanas (e.g. Kanishka), so statement 3 is right. Hence all three hold.

Q8
medium

The 'tribhanga' posture, frequently seen in Indian sculpture and classical dance, refers to which of the following?

  1. A A three-bend pose in which the body is flexed at the neck, waist and knee
  2. B A seated meditative posture with both legs interlocked
  3. C A flying or floating gandharva pose with both feet off the ground
  4. D A standing pose with the body held perfectly erect and symmetrical
Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A - A three-bend pose in which the body is flexed at the neck, waist and knee

Tribhanga literally means 'three bends': the figure curves at the neck, the waist and the knee, producing a graceful S-shaped stance commonly used for deities (such as Krishna) and in classical dance forms like Odissi. The erect symmetrical stance is samabhanga, not tribhanga; the other options describe unrelated postures.

Practice all 47 Sculpture questions free

Timed practice, instant scoring, and explanations for every question. Free forever - no card, no catch.

Start practicing I am a teacher - create a test

More Art & Culture topics

Painting 69 Indian Classical Music 64 Temple Architecture 64 Theatre & Puppetry 54 Religious Movements & Sects 54 Dance Forms 51 Handicrafts & Folk Traditions 50 Indian Philosophy 48 Coins, Pottery & Material Culture 48 Indo-Islamic Architecture 44 Language & Literature 44 Festivals & Fairs 36 Architecture 34 UNESCO & Heritage Sites 31