'Use of white marble, long legs and slender frames, human beings as central characters and prominence of kings, princess and palaces' were the characteristic features of which one of the following ancient art forms of India ?

The Amaravati School of Art, which flourished in the Krishna-Godavari valley under the Satavahanas and Ikshvakus, is characterized by the use of white marble (technically white limestone) [t2][t4][t10]. A distinctive aesthetic feature of this school is the depiction of human figures with long legs and slender frames, often shown in dynamic, flowing movements [t2]. Unlike the Gandhara or Mathura schools which focused heavily on individual icons, Amaravati art is renowned for its narrative nature, frequently portraying central human characters in complex scenes involving kings, princesses, and palace life [t1][t3][t4]. These sculptures often decorated the casing slabs and railings of the Great Stupa at Amaravati, earning them the historical moniker 'Elliot Marables' [c4]. The school emphasized sensuousness and the 'tri-bhanga' (triple-bend) posture, making it a unique tradition in ancient Indian sculpture.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > The Fate of Amaravati and Sanchi > p. 98