Drawn from Courtly India
Drawn from Courtly India

Author: Ainsley MacDougall Cameron

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780300215250

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This publication presents the first in-depth survey of the Conley Harris and Howard Truelove Collection of Indian Drawings, which was recently acquired by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This exceptional collection, which has never previously been published, consists of 65 works on paper created between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Harris-Truelove Collection is uniquely and tightly focused on works from the royal courts of North India, and the majority of these drawings served as preparatory material for the opaque watercolor illustrations that have been widely collected and studied. This catalogue celebrates the assured line of the Indian draftsman and recognizes these drawings as accomplished works of art in their own right. The text details the process and technique involved in their production, and explores what can be revealed by the artist's hand. This in-depth look at drawings also contextualizes the role of art production in court culture, and reveals the intricacies of artistic workshop practice. Published in association with the Philadelphia Museum of Art Exhibition Schedule: Philadelphia Museum of Art (12/06/15-03/27/16)

Courtly Indian Women in Late Imperial India
Courtly Indian Women in Late Imperial India

Author: Angma Dey Jhala

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2015-10-06

Total Pages: 263

ISBN-13: 1317314433

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Examines the political worldview of courtly and royal women in India during the late colonial and post-Independence period. This book offers a history of the zenana, which served as the 'women's courts' or 'female quarters of the palace', where women lived behind pardah in seclusion.

Portraiture in South Asia since the Mughals
Portraiture in South Asia since the Mughals

Author: Crispin Branfoot

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2018-06-30

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13: 1838608966

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One of the most remarkable artistic achievements of the Mughal Empire was the emergence in the early seventeenth century of portraits of identifiable individuals, unprecedented in both South Asia and the Islamic world. Appearing at a time of increasing contact between Europe and Asia, portraits from the reigns of the great Mughal emperor-patrons Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan are among the best-known paintings produced in South Asia. In the following centuries portraiture became more widespread in the visual culture of South Asia, especially in the rich and varied traditions of painting, but also in sculpture and later prints and photography. This collection seeks to understand the intended purpose of a range of portrait traditions in South Asia and how their style, setting and representation may have advanced a range of aesthetic, social and political functions. The chapters range across a wide historical period, exploring ideals of portraiture in Sanskrit and Persian literature, the emergence and political symbolism of Mughal portraiture, through to the paintings of the Rajput courts, sculpture in Tamil temples and the transformation of portraiture in colonial north India and post-independence Pakistan. This specially commissioned collection of studies from a strong list of established scholars and rising stars makes a significant contribution to South Asian history, art and visual culture.

Rajput Painting
Rajput Painting

Author: Roda Ahluwalia

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13:

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To enter the world of Rajput painting is to enter a dream world of fantasy and colour, of heroes and heroines gorgeously attired in brilliant hues, of epic poems and love songs, of courtly majesty and India's romantic past. These beautifully illustrated works convey the spirit of the great Hindu classical tradition that existed in painting, literature and all the arts from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Rajput Paintings explores the historical and art-historical background, focusing on the influence of Mughal painting and the important cult of Krishna. It illustrates and explores themes taken from folk tales and epic literature, erotic and religious poems, myths, legends and music, and provides a unique guide to local styles in the principalities of Rajasthan, central India and the Punjab. The illustrations, taken mainly from the collections of the British Museum and the British Library, include many previously unpublished images.

Divine Pleasures
Divine Pleasures

Author: Terence McInerney

Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Published: 2016-06-14

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 1588395901

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As one of the finest holdings of Indian art in the West, the Kronos Collections are particularly distinguished for paintings made between the sixteenth and early nineteenth centuries for the Indian royal courts in Rajasthan and the Punjab Hills. These outstanding works, many of which are published and illustrated here for the first time, are characterized by their brilliant colors and vivid, powerful depictions of scenes from Hindu epics, mystical legends, and courtly life. They also present a new way of seeking the divine through a form of personal devotion—known as bhakti—that had permeated India’s Hindu community. While explaining the gods, demons, lovers, fantastical creatures, and mystical symbols that are central to literature and worship, this publication celebrates the diverse styles and traditions of Indian painting. Divine Pleasures features an informative entry for each work and two essays by scholar Terence McInerney that together outline the history of Indian painting and the Rajput courts, providing fresh insights and interpretations. Also included are a personal essay by expert and collector Steven M. Kossak and an examination of Hindu epic and myth in Mughal painting, which lays important foundations for Rajput painting, by curator Navina Najat Haidar. Through their research and observations, the authors deepen our understanding and underscore the significance of Indian painting. Divine Pleasures presents a nuanced view of a way of life intimately tied to the seasons, the arts, and the divine.

Indian Skies: The Howard Hodgkin Collection of Indian Court Painting
Indian Skies: The Howard Hodgkin Collection of Indian Court Painting

Author: John Guy

Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Published: 2024-02-05

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 1588397882

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Court painting, both devotional and secular, has a long history in India and has inspired artists from diverse global traditions. This Bulletin features more than fifty stunning examples of Indian court painting by Mughal, Deccani, Rajasthani, and Pahari artists all from the former collection of British painter Howard Hodgkin (1932–2017). The works featured include stunning portraits, beautifully detailed text illustrations, studies of the natural world, and devotional subjects. Authors explore Hodgkins’s interest in these works and the relationship between his collecting and artistic practice while also providing detailed discussions of individual styles of the Indian courts and the vibrant exchange across their kingdoms from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century.

The Spirit of Indian Painting
The Spirit of Indian Painting

Author: B N Goswamy

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2014-12-01

Total Pages: 763

ISBN-13: 9351188620

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This magnificent, lavishly illustrated book by India’s most eminent and perceptive art historian, B.N. Goswamy, will open readers’ eyes to the wonders of Indian painting, and show them new ways of seeing and appreciating art. An illuminating introductory essay, ‘A Layered World’, explains the themes and emotions that inspired Indian painters, the values and influences that shaped their work, and the unique ways in which they depicted time and space. It describes, too, the characteristics of the different regional styles, the relationship between patrons and painters, the milieu in which they created their works, and the tools and techniques the painters used. The second part of this book consists of ‘Close Encounters with 101 Great Works’. Carefully selected by Prof. Goswamy and spanning nearly a thousand years, these works range from Jain manuscripts, and Rajasthani, Mughal, Pahari and Deccani miniatures, to Company School paintings. His description and analysis of these works unlock the treasures that lie within them and show us how to ‘read’ each painting, as he points out its finest features, explains its visual vocabulary and symbolism, and recounts the story, legend or event that inspired it. Combining deep scholarship with great storytelling, this is a book of enduring value that will both educate and delight the reader. It is destined to become a classic.

Drawn from Life
Drawn from Life

Author: Helen Birch

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Published: 2017-07-18

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 1452166870

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The author of Just Draw Botanicals “helps readers tap into rich traditions of life drawing, demonstrating how to use everyday people as muses” (Library Journal). Drawn from Life offers bite-size lessons that will help anyone master the classic practice of life drawing. Over 100 pieces of art by contemporary artists illustrate fundamentals such as line, contour, and color, plus surprising and innovative techniques that will take your drawings to the next level. Showcasing a wide range of styles and methods, this is a refreshing new guide to a timeless art form. “This beautiful little book details various drawing styles from a variety of artists. You’ll be inspired to draw as soon as you pick it up!” —Mindful Art Studio “An insightful book . . . The ideas and tips are great for practice and further exploration.” —Parka Blogs