Indian Art: A Concise History

by Craven, Roy C.

• ISBN13: 9780500203026
• ISBN10: 0500203024
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1997-10-27
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Summary

This engaging book tells the story clearly and vividly from the first, still mysterious, beginnings in the Indus valley, through the great masterpieces of Buddhist and Hindu art to the coming of Islam, the eclectic culture of the Mughal court, and the golden age of miniature painting. Much of Indian art is immediately accessible to the outsider, but much is also enigmatic, needing interpretation and guidance before it can be enjoyed in depth: the strange pantheon of the Hindu gods, the subtle insights of Buddhist mysticism, or the complex symbolism of the miniatures. For this edition, the late Professor Craven thoroughly revised the text and incorporated works by contemporary artists, linking their achievements to the traditions of Indian art. A new glossary and time line are also included.

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(2)
CHAPTER ONE Harappan culture: beginnings on the Indus	9	(18)
CHAPTER TWO Historical and religious origins	27	(8)
CHAPTER THREE The Mauryan period: the first imperial art	35	(16)
CHAPTER FOUR The Shunga dynasty: chaityas, viharas and stupas	51	(16)
CHAPTER FIVE The Andhra period: the `world mountains'	67	(14)
CHAPTER SIX The Kushan period: Gandhara and Mathura	81	(30)
CHAPTER SEVEN The Gupta and Post-Gupta periods	111	(34)
CHAPTER EIGHT South India: Pallavas, Cholas and Hoysalas	145	(22)
CHAPTER NINE The Medieval period in North India	167	(28)
CHAPTER TEN Islamic India: architecture and painting	195	(24)
CHAPTER ELEVEN Jain, Rajasthani and Pahari painting	219	(25)
Epilogue: the modern period	244	(4)
Timeline of history	248	(1)
Glossary	249	(1)
Bibliography	250	(2)
Acknowledgments for illustrations	252	(1)
Index	253