In this paper I would like to discuss the formative phase of Indian art, which was derived from travelers account since the middle ages to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Indian Art specially Hindu visual art was puzzling and disturbing for Europeans basic understanding of art, hence they were getting fascinated about it. Something which is unknown to our mind always concern and puzzle it. This ignites a sense of enthrallment, which force our mind to solve the puzzle and also to understand this unknown phenomenon. Orients were one such unknown terrain for European which attracted them and also made them the one who represented it in the west. Hence, they shaped Orientals the way they perceived them, and in the process, they gradually …show more content…
this was the formative phase in the reception of Indian art. For Mitter, Indian Art wasn't imitating or reproducing nature/mankind like that of western style, hence western standard can't judge it thoroughly. During this formative phase ideas about Indian art were derived from the travel accounts, but these travelers were really small in number as these travelers were mainly those who had the financial means or who had the opportunity to undertake long journeys to India. European's 'monster myth tradition' blurred and to a degree still blurs the western understanding and appreciation of Indian religious art particularly Hindu visual art culture. Western mind was trained according to their tradition and culture, which was a combination of classical ideas and Christian demonological tradition. Hence their idea and interpretation about Hindu art was drawn over those spectrums. Raymond Sahwab noted with regret one dark spot which stained the general picture. Virtually none of the Romantic admiration for all the different facets of Indian Culture had ever included an aesthetics appreciation of visual arts. And this further challenge the authenticity of western norms for appreciating not only Indian art, but any other non-western artistic tradition. These …show more content…
Edward Said's Orientalism (1978) talks about Orientalism as an ideology discourse and body of knowledge created by westerners and then homogenizes the eastern world and its culture. Europeans were counting themselves as civilized people whose support was needed for the progress of orients. And all these accounts together points towards the legitimacy of the travel records written by the travelers because before visiting eastern land they already had an image which overshadowed what they were actually encountering. Here I think even these travel accounts were not the primary source because travelers were going through the earlier records prior to them and was imagining and forming their thoughts accordingly. Marco Polo, who was the first traveler to mention about Indian gods, in his travel account mentioned about the people of south India, he
The region of the northwest coast was blessed with an abundance of natural recourses for human existence and made it possible for the area to thrive. As a result of this unusual abundance, the area could sustain large populations and a complex social order for many Indian groups. Because of the level of sustainability, the cultures had more time for artistic and intellectual activities and endeavors and over time, art became very important and vital to the complex social structures of the groups of the northwest coast.
Information from the textbook and Hays’s article help illuminate the events depicted and their significance in culture and art of the New Kingdom, and how the style ties into the art of the time.
Douglas, Frederic. “Symbolism in Indian Art and the Difficulties of its Interpretation.” Denver: Denver Art Museum,1934.
As seen through studying Neo-classicism, Romanticism, Realism and Impressionism, we can learn much more about the art and artists of these periods. In the historical scenes of Neo-classicism, the nature and emotion of Romanticism, the non idealized and ordinary people of Realism and the bright colors of Impressionism the true perfection of the artists of these periods is clearly pointed out through their artwork.
Secondly, the art of India fascinated me a lot especially the 13th Century art of “S...
When discussing the controversial authors of Indian literature, one name should come to mind before any other. Salman Rushdie, who is best known for writing the book “Midnights Children.” The first two chapters of “Midnights Children” are known as “The Perforated Sheet”. In “The Perforated Sheet” Rushdie utilizes magic realism as a literary device to link significant events and their effects on the lives of Saleem’s family to a changing India. In fact, it is in the beginning of the story that the reader is first exposed to Rushdie’s use of magic realism when being introduced to Saleem. “On the stroke of midnight/clocks joined palms” and “the instant of India’s arrival at independence. I tumbled forth into the world”(1711). Rushdie’s description of the clocks “joining palms” and explanation of India’s newfound independence is meant to make the reader understand the significance of Saleem’s birth. The supernatural action of the clocks joining palms is meant to instill wonder, while independence accentuates the significance of the beginning of a new era. Rushdie also utilizes magic realism as an unnatural narrative several times within the story to show the cultural significance of events that take place in the story in an abnormal way.
period is generally regarded as a classic peak of North Indian art for all the
Man has always found pleasure in expressing himself by creating art. Through the centuries, man’s art has left behind clues and insight that enables the generations of today to understand their ancestors. In particular, historians and artist alike can see what certain Asian sculptures reflect of the culture and religious beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism. Hinduism is the parent religion to Buddhism; much like Judaism is to Christianity. Despite Buddhism and Hinduism sharing similar philosophies and various idealisms, their respective sculptures also show their differences. There are two important characteristic of the sculptures of these religions. The first is motion versus rest, and second the subject matter. It is these two types of characteristics historians and artist can help use to decipher Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.
American Indians like to think of their art as music of the earth. Many American Indians feel that the earth is their mother and all American Indian art comes from the earth. American Indian art consists of pottery, dance, tattoos and body art, totem poles, jewelry, featherwork, basket-making, music, clothing and many other forms of art. Their work often consists of common materials that can be found in nature such as leather, ivory, feathers, pine needles, and wood. Every piece of American Indian art has meaning behind it. They tell a story and use symbols to represent something. The collection of symbols is what translates into a story. Traditional American Indian art often expresses the emotions of the artist while current American
In fact, some of the works presented depict mythological paintings that resemble the transcending Metaphysical matter of nature. Take for instance, the general aspect of the artworks presented in this chapter. They depict different social levels through the use of objects, emotions and various conditions. The lower status contradicts, the slaves to the wealthy and royalty, all delineate the role of the people present in the society and their everyday life. In the images, the poor and the slaves depicted with little to no possessions, looking tired and over-worked. Through their everyday labor, they must survive as a less fortunate person. In contrast to the images of the po...
The development of semiotics in the 20th century revealed much about ideology in mass culture. Structuralist Roland Barthes' texts on the matter are very much products of their times, yet many still have a troubling modern-day relevance. Barthes' Mythologies demonstrates the possibilty to find meaning through the 'trivia' of everyday life. He claims to want to challenge the 'innoncence' and 'naturalness' of cultural texts and practices, as they are capable of producing a multitude of supplementary meanings, or 'connotations'.
"Yiannis Gabriel: The Other and Othering - A Short Introduction." Yiannis Gabriel: The Other and Othering - A Short Introduction. Accessed December 07, 2013. http://www.yiannisgabriel.com/2012/09/the-other-and-othering-short.html.
When in 1978 Edward W. Said published his book Orientalism, it presented a turning point in post-colonial criticism. He introduced the term Orientalism, and talked about 2 of its aspects: the way the West sees the Orient and the way the West controls the Orient. Said gave three definitions of Orientalism, and it is through these definitions that I will try to demonstrate how A Passage to India by E. M. Forster is an Orientalist text. First, Said defined Orientalism as an academic discipline, which flourished in 18th and 19th century.
In addition, Orientalism also explained in the book “Orientalism” written by Edward Said, a Palestinian post-colonialism scholar. In this book Edward Said explain about history and culture of Asia, Africa, and Middle East, also he explained Orientalism in this book more briefly. Said believe that orientalism has an explicit and implicit sides. Said wrote that connotatively, Orientalism is a tool for the west to get a political influences in the east which means, “It connotes the high-handed executive attitude of nineteenth-century and early- twentieth-century European colonialism.”(Said, 2). Which is the whole point of the book “Orientalism”. Moreover, Said also wrote “Orientalism is a style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between ‘the Orient’ and (most of the time) ‘the Occident.’ Thus a very large mass of writers, among whom are poets, n...
With time, Indian classical paintings evolved to become a variety of merger and the various traditions influencing them. Even the folk painting of India has become quite popular amongst art lovers, both at the national and the international level as the majority of the folk paintings reflect a heavy influence of the local customs and