This book about the cave paintings of Ajanta. In this book, it was the objective of the author to reveal out the pulse of those ancient paintings of Ajanta cave, in the light of his artistic knowledge and some hidden backgrounds he discovered from several resources. His artistic discussion is not only related to the grammatical aspects of art but also enlightens the soul of Buddhist spiritualism which is necessary to realize the inner-soul of those paintings. There are numerous books about Ajanta cave highlighted the several aspects of this controversial cave; however, not a single one discussed the insides of those paintings, including the ancient grammatical concepts and rules. This book is only a documentation of the ancient Asian art which followed some secret rules and grammars to compose those world-famous paintings.
This book presents the latest and updated information about the Ajanta caves, their histories, and painted themes. For the first time, a book accommodates-within the space of a single volume-many dimensions and components of the caves. It includes the latest research by the author on the gradual development of the caves. historical framework formulated by Walter M. Spink. identifications of the narrative paintings by Dieter Schlingloff. identifications of the devotional and ornamental paintings by Monika Zin. summaries of nearly all the narrative paintings (84 stories). corpus of photo documentation on the paintings, sculptures, and architecture. attempt on long exposure photography in poorly lit conditions. The language is so crafted as to help the students, travellers, and general readers grasp the beauty and complexities of Ajanta and the times. At the same time the content is so packed, and the issues discussed in such a manner, as to keep the expert readers engaged.
New in paperback, this stunningly photographed book was hailed by The Times Higher Education Supplement as one of the most gorgeous and stimulating books of Indian art ever produced.
Pauranic Prana-aesthetics, a finer shade different from that of vitalistic aesthetics )the earlier having breathing-rhythm of Ksaya-Vrddhi --diminuation and augmentation--other than the latter`s emphasis only on the rhythm of augmentation), has been delineated in this study with examples from the world`s two of the best art-monuments: Ajanta (India), now not remaining unknown even to the most casual connoisseur, and Sopocani (Yugoslavia), the most significant and monumentally beautiful work of Byzantine art. Tracing Prana-aesthetics as the aesthetics of inner-light coded in the creeper-motif by the artists of Ajanta, this work emphasises decoding of the creeper-motif by Byzantine artists culminating into the frescoes of Sopocani done in Hellenistic-Byzantine aesthetics beatifield by Hesycast meditation to which that of Buddhists was not unknown. Comparisons of various determinant aspects, aesthetics and artistic denominators, and constraints not allowing similar consummation are properly investigated to substantiate the thesis that Prana-aesthetics transfigures at Ajanta but transubstantiates at Sopocani. The significance of the anabolic aspects of this aesthetics is highlighted especially as a way out from the reductivistic tendencies of the present day visual-arts straining them upto the stage of catabolic dissolution.
In this comprehensive survey of Indian painting, Percy Brown provides a detailed examination of the styles, techniques, and themes of this rich artistic tradition. With over 200 illustrations and extensive analysis, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian art. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
This book presents recent research on ancient Silk Road wall paintings, providing an up-to-date analysis of their coloring materials and techniques, and of developments in efforts to preserve them. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in 2001 encouraged international collaboration between conservation research institutes to study and protect the Silk Road’s painted heritage. The collaborations led to exciting new discoveries of the rich materials used in wall painting, including diverse pigments and colorants, and various types of organic binding media. In addition, comparative research across the region revealed shared painting practices that indicate the sophisticated exchange of technologies and ideas. In parallel with these advances in technical understanding, greater awareness and sensitivity has been fostered in endeavors to preserve this fragile heritage. The book offers insights obtained from conservation projects and ongoing research, that encompass the geographical regions and periods related to the Silk Road, including from Japan, China, Korea, India and Afghanistan, and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean region. It also discusses the current issues and future challenges in the field. Featuring concise chapters, the book is a valuable resource for students and professionals in the field of cultural heritage preservation, as well as those who are not familiar with the fascinating topic of Silk Road wall painting research.
This book is designed for students, educators, libraries, and general readers with keen interest in the subject of Indian or South Asian art, architecture, history, and culture. It is work of the author's fifteen years of on-site research. The uniqueness of the book lies on several counts. If you are looking for the most up to date information on the ancient caves of Ajanta (a World Heritage Monument) and want to learn about the subject matter of the paintings, sculptures, and how the caves were actually excavated step by step, year by year, and not willing to miss a single jataka, or a painted theme from the life of the Buddha, then this is the book for you. The book has about 70,000 words of texts and nearly 380 high quality photographs taken by the author himself. Each photo depicts either the whole or a part of larger narrative episode that are painted on the walls of the ancient Buddhist caves of Ajanta. Each photograph has a caption providing the latest and authentic identification of the theme depicted, which corpus is based on the world acclaimed researches by Professor Dieter Schlingloff. The identifications of the decorative themes are based on the researches by Professor Monika Zin. For the first time, we have a book that clears much confusion, and answers many questions: who were the people who created these magnificent caves? Which sects of Buddhism did they belong to? What was the period when the caves were excavated? What kinds of patronages were involved? What are the historical sources and evidence to give us a holistic overview of the caves and their times? What were the problems encountered during the excavation? The book sets aside many prevalent misconceptions and errors created by earlier historians and archaeologists. Here, a new and fresh perspective is given to the history and socio-cultural and political context. The book is a summary of the latest research carried out in the last three decades by many acclaimed scholars including that of the author. The language is carefully crafted so that the content is accessible to the general reader and students as well as the there is enough content, analysis, insights, and facts to keep the advanced reader engaged.
Short summaries of 84 Buddhist legends painted on the walls of the ancient Ajanta caves, illustrated with 108 colour photographs, a primer for students and general reader.
