ARH 207: History of Indian Art

Almost all of the art and architecture produced in India in pre-modern times was created in the context of religion and philosophy: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Islam supplied the impetus and resources for creating the paintings, sculptures, and buildings that comprise the raw material that ARH 207 focuses upon. Accordingly, while this course examines the aesthetic and stylistic characteristics of Indian art, it does so in the broad context of the religious traditions that inspired it. Following a largely chronological approach, the class begins with a consideration of the ancient Indus Valley cultures, then moves on to discuss the evolution of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture and architecture, and the development of Rajput and Mughal painting, among other topics. A theme that runs throughout this course is the issue of how abstract ideas and ideals were translated into visual form.