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Art of India

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Course Type Course Code No. Of Credits
Foundation Core HRM2AM106 & HRM2CP106 4

Semester and Year Offered: Semester 2, AY 2023-24

Course Coordinator and Team: 

Email of course coordinator: 

Pre-requisites: None

Brief description of course

The creative talents of prehistoric people in their initial stage must have been overshadowed by their struggle for existence to cope with the day-to-day challenges. Even with these challenges, the selection of suitable raw materials and contemporary technology could be visualized if we see the beautifully made Mousterian points of Middle Palaeolithic, reflecting combination of technology and creativity. Rock paintings, engravings and mobiliary art form of Upper Palaeolithic period onwards are certainly matter of discussion and understanding. The growing socio-religious environment and changing need of the society in time and space saw the transformation of ideas through mediums germinating and manifesting into various forms and features— in stone, bone antler and ivory, terracotta, pottery, metals, etc. The socio-religious-cultural study of different periods demonstrated reflections of creative talents of people in time and space and how the initial idea transformed into well stratified mechanism of production centers of art forms. The religious thinking, political scenario and environment played a vital role in the amalgamation of different ideas and their further evolution and propagation in time and space. As part of course structure these have been elaborated in details.

Course objectives

  • Obtain knowledge about the prehistoric rock paintings;
  • Investigate the beginning of terracotta art up to the 1st millennium BCE.
  • Understand the paintings and graffiti on proto-historic pottery.
  • Study the Mauryan, Sunga and Satvahana art.
  • Interpret the characteristic features of terracotta art through case study.
  • Acquire knowledge about early Indian Bronzes.
  • Get an idea of evolution of different deities; to appraise the art on coins, and to trace the development of sculptural art through case study of important centers.
  • Study important Jain, Buddhist and Brahmanical deities—their symbols, attributes and conspicuous representations.
  • Gain knowledge about mural and miniature paintings of Deccan and South India—Mughal, Rajput and Hill School of paintings.

Course outcome

  • At the end of course students will be able to:
  • Understand the details about rock paintings; terracotta art, and paintings/graffiti of proto-historic period.
  • Gain knowledge about Mauryan, Sunga and Satvahana art. Understand terracotta art in time and space through case study and the study of early Indian Bronzes—literary references and technique.
  • Understand the evolution of Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical deities and development of sculptural art through important centers.
  • Gain knowledge about the evolution and growth of images—iconography and iconometry—of different religion (Buddhist, Jain and Brahmanical)
  • Analyse the growth and diversification of Indian mural and miniature paintings—Mughal, Rajasthani and Hill Schools.

Brief description of modules/ Main modules:

Module 1

Previous researches about the prehistoric rock paintings and their subject matter during the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Chalcolithic and Neolithic times. The genesis of terracotta art—its further development during the Harappan and Chalcolithic periods. Paintings and Graffiti on proto-historic pottery.

(Weeks I & II)

Reading list for this module:

  • Banerji, Arundhati. Early Indian Terracotta Art circa 2000-300 B.C. (Northern and Western India). Harman Publishing House. New Delhi.1994.
  • Tomory, Edith. 2011 (re.). A History of Fine Arts in India and the West. Orient Longman.
  • Ghosh, A (ed.). An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology. Vols. I & II. Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt Ltd. ICHR. New Delhi. 1989.

Module 2

Defining symbolism and its significance in Indian Art. Discussing the plastic art. Distinctive features of Mauryan, Sunga and Satvahana Art. Detailed discussion on terracotta art— from the beginning up to Gupta period—with important case studies. Study of early Indian Bronzes—literary references and technique.

Reading list for this module:

  • Agarwala, V.S. Indian Art. Varanasi. 1995 (re.).
  • Gupta, S.P. and Shashi Prabha Asthana. Elements of Indian Art. D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. New Delhi.2002.
  • Kala, S.C. Terracottas of Northern India. Agam Kala Prakashan. Delhi. 1993.
  • Kar, C. Indian Metal Sculpture. Londdon.1952.

(Weeks III & IV)

Module 3

Origin and evolution of Jain, Buddhist and Brahmanical images. Study of coins, based on different depictions found on them. Distinct features of Gandhara and Mathura Art. Detailed study on sculptural art through case study of important centers.

Reading list for this module:

  • Banerjea, J.N. Development of Hindu Iconography. Calcutta. 1956.
  • Ghosh, A. (ed.). Jaina Art and Architecture. New Delhi. 1974.
  • Tomory, Edith. 2011 (re.). A History of Fine Arts in India and the West. Orient Longman.

(Weeks V, VI & VII)

Module 4

Important features and iconography of Buddhist and Jain deities.  Distinct symbols, attributes and iconography of Saiva, Vaishnava and Shakta with their important representations. Selected minor and folk deities and their iconography.

Reading list for this module:

  • Banerjea, J.N. Development of Hindu Iconography. Calcutta. 1956.
  • Rao, T.A. Gopinath. Elements of Hindu Iconography. Vols. 1 & 2. Motilal Banarasidass. New Delhi. 1997 (re.).

(Weeks VIII, IX & X)

Module 5

Indian mural and miniature paintings with special reference to important places of Deccan and South India—techniques, style and subject matter. Mughal, Rajput and Pahari Paintings.

Coomaraswamy, A.K. History of India and Indonesian Art. New Delhi. 1927.

Krishna Deva. Temples of North India. NBT. New Delhi. 1996.

Tomory, Edith. 2011 (re.). A History of Fine Arts in India and the West. Orient Longman. New Delhi.

Verma S.P. 2014. Mughal painting. Oxford University Press.(Weeks XI, XII &XIII)

(Weeks XIV & XV) Semester End Exam                                                                                       

Assessment Details with weights

S. No.

Assessment

Period of Assignment

Waitage

1.

Writing of assessment of thematic understanding/ conceptual clarity/report-writing/ chapter-analysis/book review, etc.

Week IV

30%

2.

Presentation of the above

Week VIII - IX

20%

3.

End Semester Exam

As per School Examination Calendar

50%

 

Additional References:
  • Beach, M.C. 1992. Mughal & Rajput Paintings.  (University Press)Cambridge
  • Brown, Percy. Indian Architecture, Bombay.           
  • Burton, T.R.1994. Hindu Art.  British Museum Press, London.
  • Bussagli, M. C. & Sivaramamurti,C. 5000 Years of Indian Art.
  • Chakravarti J. 1980. Techniques of Indian Mural Paintings. Calcutta.
  • Coomaraswamy A.K.1994.  Jain Art. New Delhi.
  • Coomaraswamy, A.K. 1985, Fundamentals of Indian Art, New Delhi
  • Coomaraswamy, A.K. 1994 The Transformation of Nature in Art, New Delhi
  • Coomaraswamy, A.K. 1998, Elements of Buddhist Iconography, New Delhi.
  • Coomaraswamy, Anand K. 1999, Introduction to Indian Art, New Delhi.
  • Craven, Roy C. 1997, Indian Art (revised) London.
  • Ghosh A.1996. Ajanta Murals. New Delhi.
  • Ghosh A.1997. Miniature Paintings and album New Delhi.
  • Gangoly, O.C. 1915, South Indian Bronzes, Calcutta.
  • Gupta S.P. 1980, Roots of Indian Art.  New Delhi.
  • Harle J.C. 1990. The Art and Architecture of India. London.
  • Januazozak W.1990.  Techniques of the World’s Great Painters. London.
  • Kar, C. 1980 Classical Indian Sculpture, London.
  • Kramrisch Stella.  Art of India; Kramrisch, S.1993, Indian Sculpture, Calcutta.
  • Mookerjee A. 1998. Ritual Art of India. New Delhi.
  • Mukherjee R. 1959. The Culture and Art of India. New Delhi.
  • Neumayer, E. 1993. Lines on Stone -The Prehistoric Art of India. New Delhi.
  • Pal P. 1993. Indian Paintings,Ahmedabad.
  • Parimu Ratan et. al (eds.) 1991, The Art of Ajanta 2 Vols. New Delhi.
  • Ray N. 1973. Idea and Image in Indian Art. New Delhi.
  • Ray N.R. Mauryan and Post Maurya Art, New Delhi.
  • Saraswati, S.K. 1975, A Survey of Indian Sculpture, New Delhi.
  • Sivaramamurti C. 1996. Indian Painting. New Delhi.
  • Sivaramamurti, C. 1994 (re.), South Indian Paintings, New Delhi.
  • Sivaramatmurti S, 1974, The Art of India, New York.
  • Smith V.A. History of Fine Art in India & Ceylon.                         
  • Soundara Rajan, K.V. 1980, Art of South India, Delhi.
  • Vatsayayan, Kapila. The Square and Circle of Indian Art. New Delhi.
  • Verma S.P. 2014. Mughal painting. Oxford University Press.
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