2.
Sculpture
• Prehistoric cult objects, stone tools-Hand Axe
• Harappan Utilitarian Art –Bronze Dancing Girl, Steatite Priest-King, terracotta, pottery,
seals, Mother Goddess
• Pillars–Ashokan, Besnagar Pilllar, Mehrauli Iron Pillar
• Mauryan-Yakshas, Yakshinis, Nagas, etc
• Terracotta Art
• Schools of Sculpture- Gandhara, Mathura, Amaravati, Nagarjunikonda and Sarnath
• Temple Sculpture
• Chola Bronzes, Astadhatu metallurgy
• Tribal Metallurgy-Casting methods
• Medieval Sculpture-Calligraphy & Pietra Dura
• Colonial Styles
• Modern Sculptures
• The Tallest Statue of World-Statue of Unity
The stoneAges
• 3 Sub-stages
• Art not fully developed
• Human societies in the phase of
evolution
• Ideas of art and aesthetics were in the
making
Pottery
HARAPPAN
CIVILISATION
The HarappanCivilization
• The first bronze age civilization in India
• The use of metal marked the transition from culture to civilization
• The first extensively urban civilization showing urban civic planning
• Copper was the first metal to be used
• Later bronze was made by mixing 9 parts of copper with 1 part of tin
• Khetri mines in Rajasthan supplied copper
• The use of script cause this phase to fall in proto-historic phase
• The use of metal caused further growth of art and aesthetics
• Art was mostly of a utilitarian nature
Craft Activities
• presence of specialized groups of artisans such as
• bronze smiths,
• gold-smiths,
• brick-makers,
• stone-cutters,
• weavers (of both cotton and wool cloth),
• boat-builders,
• terracotta manufacturers, etc.
• Basic tool-types were made by simple casting. Bronze is present from
the lowest levels, but is more common in upper levels.
• Objects of gold are reasonably common.
• Silver makes its earliest appearance in India. It is more common than gold.
• Lead was imported and occasionally used.
• Stone was not abandoned.
• From the hills at Rohri and Sukkur came nodules of flint and blades.
• Balakot, Lothal and Chanhudaro were centres for shell-working and bangle-
making.
• Mature Harappan pottery shares wheel, kiln and firing patterns. Majority
of it is plain, but a good part is painted.
• Beads were manufactured from a variety of stones. In Chanhudaro and
Lothal, bead-makers‟ shops were discovered.
• Seals were made of steatite and first cut to shape with a saw.
Sculpture:
The Bronze Dancing Girl from Mohenjodaro
Few inches tall,
free standing
bronze figurine
made by „lost wax‟
(cire perdue)
technique and is
often referred to
as “pert &
provocative”.
The steatite image of the Priest King at
Mohenjodaro
Things to note:
• partially closed eyes
• The shawl with tri-foil
designs
• Shawl seems to be woven
• The head gear
• The hairstyle, beard
• The thick lips
• The armlet
The Red Sandstone Torso of a man from Harappa
To focus
• Glazed surface
• Physical
features
• Detachable
limbs
• Navel and
belly
Terracotta & Metal Figurines
• They are mostly hand-modelled some are made in single moulds
• Pinching Method is used in giving features of expression
• The main category includes, birds and animals.
• Both male and female figurines are found, latter being more common.
• A group of heads with horns may be regarded as deities.
• Another group consists of models of carts, used as toys.
• Images are made of both stone and metal.
• Best specimen among stone sculptures is steatite image of a bearded man.
• Among bronze sculptures, best specimen is nude dancing girl.
• Four unique bronzes are excavated at Daimabad.
The HarappanSeals
To focus
• Made of steatite
• Polished surface
• Square or rectangular
• Image of animal
• Script undeciphered
• Mostly humpless bull depicted
• Purpose of these seals not
yet clear
• Have a hole in the rear to tie
them using a thread
• May be usedfor
stamping merchandise
Harappan Beads
To focus
• Barrel shaped
• Cylindrical
• Faience and
carnelian used
more
• Piercing
technique
Harappan Jewellery
Pottery
• It is bright red and well baked. It consists of wheel-made wares, both
plain and painted. Plain is more common.
• Several devices were employed for decoration.
• Harappans used different types of pottery such as glazed,
polychrome, incised, perforated, knobbed, etc.
• Forms include goblets, dishes, basins, flasks, vases, bottles, tumblers, jars, etc.
• It was highly utilitarian in character.
HarappanPottery
Some Popular Pottery Traditions
• The period covered by the Ochre-Coloured Pottery OCPculture may roughly be placed
between 2000 and 1500 BCE in the upper portion of the Doab
• The Painted Grey Ware (PGW) culture sites are located in the Hakra plain
• Important settlements of the PGW include Roper (Punjab), Bhagwanpura (Haryana) and Atranji
Kheda, Hastinapur, Ahichhatra and Jakhera (Uttar Pradesh)
• The Northern Black Polished Ware, characteristic of the urban centres of the Ganga plain
developed from high temperature firing techniques used in smelting iron and from the use of
local hematite soil.
• Its extensive distribution as a luxury ware helps the tracking of exchange and trade in various
parts of the sub-continent.
• Black and Red Ware BRW was not the pottery of a single, uniform
culture, nor was it the sole pottery at these sites dated from the
second to the first millennium B.C.
• A wide distribution of BRW in Gujarat, Rajasthan, the fringes of the
Doab and the middle Ganga valley, extending to parts of Bengal
• RCPWRusset Coated Painted Ware was another popular Ceramic
industry
• Besides these we find evidences of Roman Ware and Jars such as
Amphorae, Rouletted, etc
• Towards the Medieval ages we come across Glazed Ware
Mauryan Art-CourtArt
Ashokan Pillars : Text on Stone
• Monolithic, free-standing structures
• Use of Chunar sandstone
• Polished surface
• Carry inscriptions
• Animal capitals
• Comparison with Persian Pillars
• Transportation techniques
Animal Capital in Ashokan Pillars
The pillars of king Darius of Persia
The Yakshini Figurine at Didarganj
The YakshaFigure atParkham
LohanipurTorso, Patna
Museum
The Lohanipur torso is thought to represent the
bust of a Jaina Tirthankara
Post-Mauryan Phase- Sunga, Satavahana& Kushana
Major factors influencing Art and Culture
• The geographical expanse of the respective kingdoms
• The locally available raw materials
• Themes of Jataka Stories
• The local traditions of craftsmanship
• The political requirements
• The tastes of Royalty
• The religious inclinations of the ruling Dynasty
• Cave architecture at Nasik, Bhaja, Karle
The Kushanaphase of Art and Culture
• Beginning of the Golden phase of Indian Art
• Kushana rule opened the gateway for active interaction of Indian
Culture with those of Central and Eastern Asia.
• Buddha is perceived not in a symbol but in a human form with 32
bodily signs associated with Great Personalities-
Mahapurushalakshana
• these further paved the way for exchange of ideas with the other
advanced artistic traditions of the ancient world, like the Graeco-
Roman traditions
The Gandhara school of art
Main Features
• The Gandhara School of art was closely connected to the Mahayana Buddhism
• It bears a distinct influence of the old Greek school of art
• Buddha iconography seems to be inspired by those of Apollo
• The geographical location of Gandhara made it the meeting point of Indian,
Chinese, Persian and Graeco-Roman Cultures and ideas
• Thus we find a nice culmination of ideas which led to the birth of the Gandhara
School of Art
• The main theme of this art was Buddha and Bodhisattvas
• It used Indian themes but used the material and ideas of Graeco-Roman art
• Besides free standing images many chaityas, viharas and stupas were
constructed
• Extensive use of Blueish-Grey, black stone was used besides stucco (a fine
plaster) at a later period
• Images are realistic, natural and common human features are depicted
• Even though the images are technically perfect they do not reflect a higher level
of spiritualism
• Image of Greek gods like Apollo and other kings were also made
The Fasting Buddha The Preaching
Buddha
Bamiyan Buddhas
The Mathura School of Art
Main Features
• It was based on the indigenous art traditions but with the coming up of Kushana rule in
Mathura a greater level of development took place
• Some scholars believe that the yaksha images and iconography was the inspiration for
Mathra School of Sculpture
• This school of art flourished around the Mathura region of Uttar Pradesh
• Artistic traditions began in the middle of 2nd century BCEbut it progressed more around the
1st century CE(AD)
• Extensive use of locally available spotted (mottled) red sandstone from the Sikri mines
for making images
• The first images of Buddha were made here and this idea of making images of Buddha later
spread to other places including Gandhara
• Besides Buddha images we also find many other images of Jain
tirthankaras at places like Kankalitila
• Images of gods and goddesses like Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva, Parvati ,
Kuber were also made
• Images of Kushana emperors Kanishka and Huvishka were also made,
however their head seems to be destroyed later
• The emperors‟ images show the use of long coats, tight trousers, high
boots
• Most of the images at Mathura school of art were not made in correct
proportions and this defect was rectified during the rule of the Gupta
emperors
Kushana Emperors at Mathura
The Amaravati school of art
Main Features
• Amaravati is in Guntur District of Andhra Pradesh
• The Amaravati school of art is also known as the Vengi School of Art
• It developed in the lower valleys of Krishna-Godavari region
• Amaravati and Nagarjunikonda were the two major centres of this school
• It was patronized by the Satavahana and the Ikshvaku kings of Deccan
• Famous for Mahayana Buddhist art and sculpture
• Amaravati stupa was made of marble
• Its gateways has images of lion
• Amaravati figures are lean, beautiful, curvy and mobile even when resting
• Flowers and lotus motifs are carved frequently
• Various postures create an interest in activities of each individual
• Light and joyful mood is often reflected in images
• The Amaravati School of art had a great influence on the later period sculpture of
south India and even in Sri Lanka and South-EastAsia
Nagarjunikonda Stupa
• The Ikshvaku Dynasty carried forward the Satavahana traditions
• Stupa is in concentric form
• There were two domes, one constructed within the other
• Domes at Nagarjunikonda were properly decorated with the use of
coloured tiles
Gupta Period
• New phase of development in Indian art and Architecture since the 4th century CE(AD) with
the rise of the Gupta dynasty
• Art becomes complex, Perfect and standard
• Sarnath School mastered the art of Sculpture and used cream coloured sandstone
• Gupta art derives plasticity from Mathura and elegance from Amaravati
• Art traditions of Sanchi , Bharhut, Amaravati and Mathura culminated in the
form of GuptaArt
• The earlier themes of displaying simple pleasures of life gave way to a contemplative and
spiritual vision
• Many art Historians prefer to call the Gupta period Art as Religious Art
• The popularity of „Bhagavata‟ Cult influenced artistic traditions
• temple building activities gain popularity
Sculpture
Two types : stone and metal
(a) Stone Sculpture
1. Standing Buddha from Sarnath,
2. Great Boar (Varaha) at the entrance of Udayagiri Caves (near Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh)
(b) Metal Sculpture casting statues by cire perdue method (lost wax, investment casting , precision
casting)
1. Copper-bronze image of Buddha at Nalanda (Bihar)
2. 2.3 m high copper-bronze image of Buddha at Sultanganj (Bihar) now in Birmingham Museum
3. The Mehrauli Iron Pillar
Popular Examples
• Railing pillars of Mathura Stupa
• Damsels at Mathura
• Sandstone image of Buddha at Mathura in Abhayamudra
• Standing Buddha at Sarnath
• Preaching Buddha in Chunar Sandstone
• Anantaseshashayee Vishnu at Deogarh, U.P.
• Vishnu with Vanamala at Mathura
• Terracotta images of Ganga and Yamuna at Shiva temple of Ahichhatra
• Terracotta head of Shiva with matted locks
• Terracotta head of Parvati with a third eye and a crescent mark
Great Boar (Varaha) at the entrance of Udayagiri
Cave
Sheshashayi Vishnu (Vishnu Sleeping on The Great
Serpent) at Deogarh Temple
Mehrauli Iron Pillar, Delhi
Terracotta
• Clay figurines of Vishnu , Karttikeya, Surya, Durga, Kubera, nagas, etc
• Terracotta images of Ganga and Yamuna at Shiva temple of
Ahichhatra
• Terracotta head of Shiva with matted locks
• Terracotta head of Parvati with a third eye and a crescent mark
• „Red Ware‟ form of pottery found at Ahichhatra, Rajghat near
Varanasi, Hastinapur and Basarh.
Post-Gupta Sculptures
• Distinguished by regional variations
• a growing tendency towards heaviness of form
• images came to be smothered with heavy decorative details not so
noticeable in classical or Gupta period art
• The Deccan and the Tamil Nadu witnessed an increasedaesthetic
consciousness of the people
• Examples, rock-cut sculptures of Mahabalipuram, Ellora and
Elephanta,
• Mahabalipuram reliefs, Ellora sculptures, and Elephanta carvings
Konark Sculptures
Khajuraho Sculptures
Khajuraho Sculptures
Khajuraho Sculptures
Erotic Sculptures at Khajuraho
Khajuraho Sculptures
The Dilwara Temples
Hoysala Art
• Multiple shrines built around a central pillared hall
• Stellate plan - ground plan intricate design
• Soft sope stone (Chorite schist) – main building material
• Massive emphasis was on decoration of the temple
• All chambers had shikharas – interconnected by an arrangement of
horizontal lines and mouldings
• Tower resolved into an orderly succession of tires
• Built on upraised platform – Jagati – about 1 metre height
• Walls and stairs followed a zigzagpattern
• Example: Hoyasaleswara temple Halebid, Vijayanarayana temple at Belur
Pallava and CholaSculpture
• The Pallava sculpture is influenced by Buddhist traditions
• It is more monumental and linear in form
• It usually avoid the typical ornamentation of the Deccan sculpture
• Examples, „Descent of the Ganga‟ and Arjuna‟s Penance at
Mahabalipuram
• Chola period bronze statues are also very famous; lost wax method is
again used here
Descent of the Ganga ORArjuna’sPenance
Chola Sculpture -Nataraja
• Drum in upper right hand – signified sound of creation
• Eternal fire in upper left hand – signified destruction
• Abhay mudra – lower right hand – signified benediction andreassuring
devotee not to be afraid
• Lower left hand pointed towards the upraised foot – path of salvation
• Shiva dancing on small dwarf – symbolizes ignorance and ego
• Matted and flowing locks – representing flows of river Ganges
• Male earring in one ear while other has female – ardhanarishwar
• Twisted snake around the arm - kundalini power – dormant in human spine
• Nimbus of glowing lights – vast unending cycles of time
Chola Bronzes: Nataraja and Parvati
Narasimhain Hatta
Yoga
Calligraphy on MedievalMonuments
Pietra Dura in Mughal Era
Carvings
JaliWork
Diwan-i-Aam
Diwan-i-Khaas
Throne of Maharaja
Ranjit Singh
Rani Ki Vaav,Patan Gujarat
Rumi
Darwaza,
Lucknow
Iberian Style
• The Pre-Romanesque art and architecture of
the Iberian Peninsula
• in Spanish, arte prerrománico
• in Portuguese, arte pré-românica)
• refers to the art of Spain and Portugal
• after the Classical Age and
before Romanesque art and architecture
• Also called Pre-Romanesque.
Baroque Architecture
• Baroque architecture is the building
style of the
Baroque era
• Started in late 16th-century Italy
• took the Roman
vocabulary of
Renaissance
architecturea
• new rhetorical and theatrical fashion
• expresses the triumph of the Catholic
Church
FrenchInfluence
• French introduced the urban city planning concepts
• Introduced the „anonymous architectural style‟
• Architecture represents the Political Power
• French towns at Pndicherry (Pudducherry) and Chandranagore
(Chandan nagar) are built using the ‘Cartesian Grid Plan’
Indo-Gothic Style ofArchitecture
• Also known as Victorian Style
• It is a unique blend of Indian, Persian and Gothic Styles
• Structures are extremely large in their plan and execution
• Walls are thinner than the Indo-Islamic Style structures
• Arches are pointed and conical, unlike the curved Indo-Islamic Curved
Arches
• Predominance of Large Windows
• Churches had a crucified ground Plan
• Steel, iron and poured concrete was actively used
• Master pieces of modern engineering
• Exaamples- Victorial Memorial, Gateway of India
Comparison Between Iberian & Gothic Styles
• MATERIAL USED:
• Iberian style used brick as the main material along with wood for roof
and staircase
• Gothic style primarily used red standstone and coarse limestone
• STRUCTURE:
• Portuguese using Iberian Style continued the Western European style
without any any change in structural forms
• British adopted Indian motifs and styles leading to Indo-Gothic style of
architecture
Chandigarh, 1960
State Capital at Amaravati
Statue of Unity, Kevadia, Gujarat, 2018
