Introduction to Indian ArtAnanda Kentish Coomaraswamy, Ratan Devi Illustrations: Numerous B/w Illustrations Description: 'Today, if India takes her due rank as first-class artistic power, it is in large measure owing to Coomaraswamy'-so said the distinguished British artist Sir William Rothenstein of Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, the celebrated author of this work. To know the magnitude and quality of the work done by this great savant is to know the truth and value of this tribute. His pioneering work put the long neglected Art of India before the world of art where it holds its well merited proper place. Coomaraswamy was more than an 'art-critic', he interpreted the philosophia perennis through the medium of the arts. In his autobiography Eric Gill writes, 'He (Coomaraswamy) has written truth...with such wisdom and understanding...' Coomaraswamy's bibliography consists of over 500 books and articles, in each of these he illuminates the soul (bija) of the subject he treats, and shares with his reader the treasures before him. Coomaraswamy's Introduction to Indian Art is an ocean condensed into a luminous pearl. A basic work, it traverses the historic panorama of Indian art, from its Indo-Sumerian and Vedic-Mound beginnings to the various peaks reached during the Maurya, Sunga, Andhra, Kusana and Gupta periods and beyond the seas to further India and Indonesia. It is a handbook of immense value both to the beginner and scholar alike. This present reprint, appearing after more than half a century, has been ably edited by Mrs. Coomaraswamy and incorporates new material earmarked for the book by Coomaraswamy himself. |
Contents
IndoSumerian | 1 |
Dravidians and Aryans | 2 |
The SaiśunagaNanda Period 642320 B C | 4 |
Copyright | |
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2nd century 8th century A.D. Fig Ajaṇṭā amongst ancient Andhra Annual Report antiquities Archaeological Survey architecture artist Aryan Basāṛh Besnagar Bhārhut Bodhisattva Boston Museum Brāhmaṇical bronze Buddha figure Buddhist art bull Calcutta Cambodia Cave century B.C. Ceylon Colombo Museum colour Coomaraswamy Copper cult culture decorative deities Dravidian early Buddhist early Gupta eighteenth eighth century Ellora Excavations forms Gandhāra goddess Gupta period Hindu History illustrated images Indian art Indra Indus valley inscription Jaina Jātaka Java Jouveau-Dubreuil known Kṛṣṇa Kuṣāņa later lingam London lotus Madras Mahāvīra Mathura Mathura Museum Maurya Maurya or older mediaeval millennium B.C. Mohenjo-Daro motifs Mughal Nāgas origin Orissa Paris pillar pre-Mauryan rāgas Rajput painting Rāmāyaṇa Red sandstone representation represented Saiva scenes seated second century SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY shrine sikhara Sinhalese Siva sixth century South Indian Southern India spiritual stone Stupa style Sumerian Sunga Survey of India survived symbols temple terracotta tradition Vaiṣṇava Vedic Yakṣa