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Art & Ideas (Phaidon)
Indian Art
The Indian subcontinent offers an extraordinary visual feast. Considering Indian art within a chronological framework, Vidya Dehejia analyses the great cities of the Indus civilization, the serene Buddha image, the intriguing art of cave sites, the sophisticated temple-building traditions, the luxurious art of the Mughal court, the palaces and pavilions of Rajasthan, the churches of Portuguese Goa, the various forms of art in the British Raj and the issues related to taking Indian art into the twenty-first century.
448 pages, Paperback
First published December 17, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 6, 2011
Not only is the cover illustration great but the book is too. Excellent history of Indian art and development of religions.
January 28, 2018
Vidya tells us right away that the theory of art rest with the viewer! "This viewer-response theory of art is known in Sanskrit as "rasa," and responsive viewers are called rasikas or connoisseurs!" That certainly does not describe me! I'm not rasa. Vidya is our guide, here we go.....
India possesses a dynamic history influenced by its native Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism religions! Christianity and Islam also had major influences. It's art was influenced by all these at different times.
Also, karmic tradition inspired Royalty and Aristocrats to sponsor ambitious projects, but also an early "crowd sourcing" especially promoted by Buddhist monks that asked local people or villages to provide funds!
Tradesman and artist of Hindu or Buddhist religious traditions worked on any funded projects. None were famous in most of Indias history, most followed rules laid out by masters and duplicated by these artisans.
Since there is no sense of original sin in India culture as there occurred in Christianity's Garden of Eden, sex was accepted part of life. The ancient Hindu Goals were fourfold: Dharma, virtue and duty; Artha, wealth acquire ethically, Kama, sexual/marital love, Moksha, liberation! These are the traditions that funded and guided the art of India for centuries!
In India, most of the art and architecture is dominated by recording the traditions of the their religion and politics.
Vidya Dehejia's book, Indian Art, more than a art book, is really an very insightful telling of the history and culture of one of the most dynamic places on earth. The book is beautiful and the beautiful art is knowingly and helpfully described by Vidya!
You really cannot understand India without reading this book! A masterpiece of scholarship and writing!
India possesses a dynamic history influenced by its native Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism religions! Christianity and Islam also had major influences. It's art was influenced by all these at different times.
Also, karmic tradition inspired Royalty and Aristocrats to sponsor ambitious projects, but also an early "crowd sourcing" especially promoted by Buddhist monks that asked local people or villages to provide funds!
Tradesman and artist of Hindu or Buddhist religious traditions worked on any funded projects. None were famous in most of Indias history, most followed rules laid out by masters and duplicated by these artisans.
Since there is no sense of original sin in India culture as there occurred in Christianity's Garden of Eden, sex was accepted part of life. The ancient Hindu Goals were fourfold: Dharma, virtue and duty; Artha, wealth acquire ethically, Kama, sexual/marital love, Moksha, liberation! These are the traditions that funded and guided the art of India for centuries!
In India, most of the art and architecture is dominated by recording the traditions of the their religion and politics.
Vidya Dehejia's book, Indian Art, more than a art book, is really an very insightful telling of the history and culture of one of the most dynamic places on earth. The book is beautiful and the beautiful art is knowingly and helpfully described by Vidya!
You really cannot understand India without reading this book! A masterpiece of scholarship and writing!
January 19, 2019
I had the privilege to read this book in conjunction with Professor Dehejia's class, and it is truly comprehensive to any individual who reads it and wants to learn about India's rich architectural and artistic history.
November 6, 2023
Each of the Art & Ideas series is fascinating, and this is no exception. A massive history made manageable without feeling skimpy, with incredible illustrations throughout and illuminating case studies.
July 12, 2021
Comprehensive and visual.
June 13, 2023
This was my textbook for class, so it’s no surprise I found it incredibly boring.
May 7, 2013
Lovely photos and beautifully designed book - too bad Dehejia has decided to stick to the outdated and misproven theory of aniconism in Indian artwork. This is a good book for those who want a quick overview on Indian art history but not if you want a thorough understanding of how some of it is used in religious practices or its meanings.
September 16, 2013
This is a fascinating read! Vidya gives the fact to you straight and I really enjoyed that! I understood everything she was trying to say (sometimes history writers use quite a bit of fluffy language, then things get really confusing!). If you are interested in Indian art then definitely check out this book!
October 27, 2015
Almost finished except Goa, Deccan kingdoms chapters.
Dehejia not only presents an exhaustive description, she offers interpretation and critical analysis valuable to the first approacher of indian art and to the scholar but she also writes in a very pleasant way. An art book that is also a real pleasure to read
Dehejia not only presents an exhaustive description, she offers interpretation and critical analysis valuable to the first approacher of indian art and to the scholar but she also writes in a very pleasant way. An art book that is also a real pleasure to read
December 27, 2023
This book provides a solid, unbiased survey of Indian monumental religious architecture. However, it does not survey secular architecture or art-objects (seals, clothing, ornaments, pottery, furniture, statuettes, etc.) and it does not address household religion.
April 5, 2008
I just love Phaidon books!
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April 30, 2014Gorgeous photos, with a deeper focus on 3d art (sculpture, architecture, etc) than I expected.
November 7, 2014
Very good overview.
January 23, 2017
Awesome.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews