Indian Art [Paperback]

Vidya Dehejia (Author)

Book Description

Series: Art & Ideas | Publication Date: December 17, 1997

This text looks at the role of art in the Indian subcontinent and then analyzes early art from the Indus civilization (2000 BC) to the time of Buddha (c.5000 BC). The Mauryan emperor Ashoka (4th century BC), was an important player in the dissemination of Buddhism, using art to this end. A stable economic base and the rise of a mercantile community were important in Buddhism's growth. Inscriptions show that the contributions to pay for art came from housewives, householders, merchants, traders and a range of other "common" people. The vibrant narrative tradition displayed in this art is analyzed. The text goes on to examine the development of the Buddha image and the art of later esoteric Buddhism; the Islamic aesthetic; the art of the Mughal empire; the art and architecture of Rajasthan; and British imperial art and architecture.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This book is a worthy addition to Phaidon's excellent Art and Ideas series, which provides overviews of the major art traditions of the world. India is vast (the size of Europe); the birthplace of great religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism; and the home of sophisticated civilizations dating back more than 4,000 years. These factors combine to give India one of the longest and most complex art traditions of the world--and one of the hardest to make accessible to the general reader.

Vidya Dehejia, curator of Indian art at the Smithsonian Institution, is up to the task. She sets the scene with an invaluable chapter explaining ancient Indian theories of art and aesthetics, including the responsibilities of the viewer. Most important is the realization that "the consistent fabric of Indian life was never rent by the Western dichotomy between religious belief and worldly practice"--hence the easy coexistence in India of extreme religious asceticism and the overt eroticism that pervades temples like Khajuraho and Patan. The book proceeds in a grand sweep, from the ancient cities of the Indus valley, the development of Buddhist art (which by the 12th century had faded away in the land of its birth), the glorious paintings of Ajanta, the luxury of Mughal art and architecture, art of the British Raj, to today's artistic ferment. Clear and well-written, with nearly 300 well-chosen color illustrations, this is an extremely useful introduction to India's vast artistic wealth. --John Stevenson

From Library Journal

Dehejia, curator of the Smithsonian's Indian and Southeast Asian collection, surveys the full breadth of artistic traditions from ancient times to the present. Rossi (painting, Art Inst. of Chicago) focuses her sights on the popular and folk arts of the last four centuries.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (December 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714834963
• ISBN-13: 978-0714834962
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sumptuous - pleasing to both the eye and the mind, August 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Indian Art (Paperback)

Vidya's book is a delight not just for the scope and content of the written material and references, but also for visual pleasures it provides to the users. Indian art is nothing if not immensely varied and rich, and Vidya brings this to the fore. I was delighted to see the way the Madurai Meenakhsi temple was treated, to see its Gopurams teeming with mythological figures and dieties of all kinds : an apt symbol of the diversity and richness of this civilization and of life that it celebrates, for in many ways Indian art is like life : beautiful and confusing at the same time, a buzz of forms , shapes, and materials, all with their own rationale for existence and appeal. Vidya's book tries to a give a very good idea of this, from the earthy Khajuraho to the elegant Elephanta, from the ancient Indo-Greek Gandharan Buddhas to the naturalistic Nayaka. A book to please both scholars and lay readers alike.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, January 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Indian Art (Paperback)

This is a significant improvement over Roy Craven's colonialist take on Indian art. This book is much more sensitive to the culture of India and its rich amalgamation of Vedic thought, the religion and philosophy of Buddhism, what we now term as Hinduism, and of course, later Islamic influence. Especially significant is the explanation of the narrative sculptural relief panels at Sanchi and Amaravati. Dehejia explains their rich narratives clearly - and what at first appears confusing becomes instead a rich tapestry of imagination. Her explanations also merge style with context; in effect, we understand these panels as they were understood at the time of their historical inception. She rightly de-emphasizes the dynastic and stylistically rigid categorizations that are so predominant in Western scholarship. A worthy and timely text. I highly recommend it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars balanced and illuminating, September 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Indian Art (Paperback)

While no expert in Indian art and architecture, I have been studying in this area off and on for about fifteen years. I have not encountered an introductory survey that was more balanced and illuminating. It is also well written and beautifully illustrated. The eccentric reviewer who accorded this book merely one star is obviously carping--perhaps because his or her own work was omitted from the necessarily selective bibliography. The other reviews have all been favorable up to this point, and for a good reason.