Publisher description

This visually stunning book is a rare example of a volume that offers a panoramic view of Indian art from the pre-historic times to contemporary period.

The 50th anniversary edition of this classic work on the art of Northwest Coast Indians now offers color illustrations for a new generation of readers along with reflections from contemporary Northwest Coast artists about the impact of this book. The masterworks of Northwest Coast Native artists are admired today as among the great achievements of the world’s artists. The painted and carved wooden screens, chests and boxes, rattles, crest hats, and other artworks display the complex and sophisticated northern Northwest Coast style of art that is the visual language used to illustrate inherited crests and tell family stories. In the 1950s Bill Holm, a graduate student of Dr. Erna Gunther, former Director of the Burke Museum, began a systematic study of northern Northwest Coast art. In 1965, after studying hundreds of bentwood boxes and chests, he published Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form. This book is a foundational reference on northern Northwest Coast Native art. Through his careful studies, Bill Holm described this visual language using new terminology that has become part of the established vocabulary that allows us to talk about works like these and understand changes in style both through time and between individual artists’ styles. Holm examines how these pieces, although varied in origin, material, size, and purpose, are related to a surprising degree in the organization and form of their two-dimensional surface decoration. The author presents an incisive analysis of the use of color, line, and texture; the organization of space; and such typical forms as ovoids, eyelids, U forms, and hands and feet. The evidence upon which he bases his conclusions constitutes a repository of valuable information for all succeeding researchers in the field. Replaces ISBN 9780295951027

Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Sept. 28, 2011-Jan. 8, 2012.

This concise yet lively new survey guides the reader through 5,000 years of Indian art and architecture. A rich artistic tradition is fully explored through the Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Colonial, and contemporary periods, incorporating discussion of modern Bangladesh and Pakistan, tribal artists, and the decorative arts. Combining a clear overview with fascinating detail, Mitter succeeds in bringing to life the true diversity of Indian culture. The influence of Islam on the Mughal court, which produced the world-famous Taj Mahal and exquisite miniature paintings, is closely examined. More recently, he discusses the nationalist and global concerns of contemporary art, including the rise of female artists, the stunning architecture of Charles Correa, and the vibrant art scene. The very particular character of Indian art is set within its cultural and religious milieu, raising important issues about the profound differences between Western and Indian ideas of beauty and eroticism in art.

The Present Monograph Seeks To Record The Place And Development Of Elephant Symbol In The Mythology And The Art Of India Over A Period Of 5000 Years. It Is Amazing As To How Strikingly A Unity In Diversity In Most Indian Religions Is Displayed Through This Symbol. Elephant Form Has Been Used As A Common Denominator In The Folk As Well As The Religious Cults But Having Different Impacts. The Wide Spectrum Of Indian Culture Contains Various Colours Of Different Intensity. Different Kinds Of People, Races, Languages, Religions And Traditions Made Indian Culture Vital And Colourful. The Elephant Rotates With Every Colour Of The Spectrum. How The Animal Impressed The People Through The Ages Is Sought To Be Explained By The Author Along With All The Myths And Stories Associated With It. As A Divine Member Elephant Was Supposed To Have Come Into Existence Out Of The Sea On The Occasion Of Churning Of The Ocean (Samudramanthana) As Airavata The Milk White Elephant. On The Folk Level A Cult Developed Around It. Jataka Stories Refer To Elephant Pillars And Statues And Tradition Of Performing Hastisutra And Hastimangala-Elephant 1Estival. Besides As A Folk Divinity It Also Penetrated In Buddhist And Jain Mythologies. It Is The Inner Vitality Of Indian Culture Which Has Been The Result Of Intimate Connection Between Nature And Human Inspiration. That Is Why, Indian Religion, Art And Literature Are Rooted In The Natural Environment. Ganesa The Elephant God Is The Best Example Of The Oneness Of Nature And Human Factor As Reflected In The Realm Of Art And Literature. Ganesa Is Only One Of The Aspects Of The Multidimensional Personality Of The Elephant Which Embodies The Various Hues And Colours Of The Indian Cultural Tradition. Thus, Dr. Gupta Herein Offers A Detailed Statement Regarding The Historical Development Of Elephant Symbol In Indian Myths And Art. This Must Be Counted As A Unique Effort In Understanding The Symbolism Of Indian Culture Through Elephant Symbol.

This is a survey of the past century of Indian painting, incorporating reproductions of 250 works by 80 artists from Rabindranath Tagore to M.F. Husain. The book also has an historical essay, conversations with 35 of today's leading Indian artists, biographical outlines and exhibition histories. The author's aim is to make the entire realm of contemporary Indian art accessible to the general reader by evoking the nuances of the world in which these artists live and work.