Final Flashcards

1
Q

Shiva from Tiruvenkadu

A

1011, Chola Bronze. Lost Wax Casting. Gift of chief of military regiment of king. Extremely detailed. Emphasis on softness, sensuousness. Buried when news of Sultanate coming arrived. Would be washed and adorned for puja, but when in museum no longer a holy object/vessel of deity. Problematic presentation in museums.

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2
Q

Hoysala

A

Prominent empire in South India - Karnataka. Carving style extremely elaborate - “a riot of carving.” Unfortunately, a lot of the carving was used by British to claim decadence and moral degeneration of Indians.

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3
Q

Chennakeshava Temple

A

Begun 1117, Belur. Hoysala temple. Bracket figures bear inscriptions. Built to commemorate king’s victory over Cholas. Inscriptions with names of sculptors - bombastic titles. Hoysala schist soft and lends itself to carving. Brackets in corners - celestial beings.

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4
Q

Loving couples at Khajuraho Temples

A

10th-11th century. Chandella kingdom. Evidence of sensuality/sexuality in ancient art. Found in the joining wall -a kind of visual pun as the sanctum=bridegroom and hall=bride, and mithunas between. Images often taken out of context, depicted as if very prominent and located at eye-level. Theory that iconography process from unmanifest in garbha griha (linga) to unmanifest-manifest outside sanctum (6 headed sadashiva) and Shiva’s many manifest forms outside. Often he is flanked by women, who by this time were necessary to include because of associations with fertility, abundance, auspiciousness. 16 types. Theories of mystic union with divine, tantric sects, reference to allegorical play that happened at court.

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5
Q

Qutb Minar

A

Late 12th-Early 13th, Delhi. Minar - used for call for prayer but this one too high so basically a symbol of Islamic supremacy. Dynastic script on the minar - playful treatment of script including that from the Quran unusual (flowers, etc) as it would never happen elsewhere - the script too sacred. Distinction between two kinds of iconoclasm - violent statement vs. neutralizing for reuse.

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6
Q

Qutb Mosque

A

Late 12th-Early 13th, Delhi. Focus on pillars. Elements from 27 Hindu temples. Pillars from temples not high enough so stacked one on top of each other. Issues of iconoclasm - violent statement vs neutralizing for reuse. In order to neutralize, did not always completely remove image - sometimes just took off the face or eyes. Hindus were the ones who did the neutralizing. Reusing vs. building new things could also be an issue of economics. Indian craftsmen -> corbelled arches.

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7
Q

Taj Mahal

A

Begun 1632, Agra, Marble. Love theory prohibited further study of monument so that inscriptions only published in 1989. They all refer to Day of Judgment - hardly good subject matter for love monument. Throne of God Theory. Jawab - echo. Moonlight Garden Theory - places Taj at center as opposed to at back of complex.

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8
Q

Akbar-Nama

A

1590-1597. Akbar-nama was created from a manuscript of Akbar’s life - essentially a pictorial diary of everything he did. Clerk was to note down day to day activities such as time awoken, etc. Pages of pure text interspersed with images such as Akbar Restrains Hawai. Akbar’s justification for figural painting.

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9
Q

Akbar restrains Hawai

A

1590-1597. Scene from Tales of Akbar. Painted Basavana and Chitra. Akbar’s feat of riding ferocious elephant Hawai in competition with another elephant - get on bridge and due to extreme weight pontoons go up and down. His servants and advisors freak out. Naturalism and emphasis on diagonal movement. Possible emphasis of European prints.

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10
Q

Hamza-Nama

A

1557-1573. Basavana. One of Akbar’s first commissions – something a kid would like. Fantastical creatures. Mixture of fact, fiction, folk tales. Could not read or write so he had a lot of paintings done, and had them performed to him.

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11
Q

Jagat Singh’s Ramayana

A

1648-1652, Mewar, Sahib Din.

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12
Q

Hanuman Searching for the Mountain of Herbs

A

1648-1652, folio from Jagat Singh’s Ramayana, Sahib Din. Compare to the same scene from Akbar’s Ramayana, completed 1589.

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13
Q

Indrajit and his Magic Arrows

A

1648-1652, folio from Jagat Singh’s Ramayana, Sahib Din.

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14
Q

Blair Conversation Piece

A

1786, Johann Zoffany.

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15
Q

Dasasumade Ghat

A

1789, Thomas and William Daniell.

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16
Q

Benares

A

1873, Edward Lear.

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17
Q

Victoria Terminus

A

Opened 1887, desgned by F.W. Stevens, Bombay.

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18
Q

University Convocation Hall

A

1869-74, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, Bombay.

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19
Q

University Library and Clock Tower

A

1878, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, Bombay.

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20
Q

Viceroy’s Palace

A

1931, designed by Edwin Lutyens, New Delhi.

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21
Q

King George V Memorial

A

1931, designed by Edwin Lutyens, New Delhi.

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22
Q

War Memorial Arch

A

1931, designed by Edwin Lutyens, New Delhi.

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23
Q

Maharaja Sayajirao III of Baroda

A

1882, Raja Ravi Varma.

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24
Q

Princess Lakshmibai of Baroda

A

1885, Raja Ravi Varma.

25
Q

Galaxy of Musicians

A

1889, Raja Ravi Varma.

26
Q

Draupadi at the court of Virata

A

1899, Raja Ravi Varma.

27
Q

Between the Spider and the Lamp

A

1956, M.F. Husain.

28
Q

Mother Teresa

A

1980, M.F. Husain.

29
Q

M.F. Husain Hindu god controversy

A

Portraying goddesses such as Sarasvati nude - many Hindu people were mad because he is a Muslim.

30
Q

Char-Bagh

A

A type of garden common during Mughal dynasty. A quadrilateral garden is divided by walkways or flowing water into four smaller parts. These four streams or paths may represent the four rivers of Paradise.

31
Q

Picturesque

A

British aesthetic ideal emphasizing ruggedness, windswept vistas, ancient ruins, imperfections and lack of symmetry. Problematic because some images painted in this style were passed off as authentic and truthful images of Indian scenes.

32
Q

Mihrab

A

Semicircular niche in the qibla wall (wall that faces Mecca) of a mosque. Indicates the way that Muslims should face when praying.

33
Q

Indo-Saracenic

A

An architectural style created by British people combining Islamic and Hindu building elements. Problematic as it reflects idea that the architecture/culture of India could be mastered and elements could be picked and chosen without regard to geographical or temporal origin.

34
Q

Orientalism

A

A manner of depicting and thinking of Middle Eastern, Asian, and North African people as decadent, morally corrupt, and in developmental stasis. Images such as Gerome’s The Snake Charmer contained a lot of detail that convinces the viewer that what they are seeing is a reflection of reality.

35
Q

Dhvani

A

Find Definition

36
Q

Nagara Temple

A

Style of temple found in Northern India - features tall shikhara (above sanctum) fronted by one or more halls with pyramidal roofs. Erotic/sensuous images of women often found on walls.

37
Q

Dravida Temple

A

Style of temple found in Southern India - features more pyramidal in shape than Nagara temples. Imagery mostly features deities, not erotic imagery.

38
Q

Nationalism

A

Find definition

39
Q

Ramayana

A

Sanskrit epic poem that recounts the story of Rama (7th avatar of Vishnu), who is exiled, and Sita who is abducted by demon Ravana. Eventually Rama is able to prevail and returns home to be king.

40
Q

Iconoclasm

A

Destruction of images for religious or political reasons.
Although monuments such as Qutb Mosque often said to be created via destruction but this may be problematic as it suggests violence and has inspired modern day razing of Muslim temples in India. Ignores the fact that a lot of images were just neutralized and that conquerors chose to rework rather than completely destroy and discard. Distinction between two kinds of iconoclasm - one makes a violent statement/demonstration of power and the other one makes what is there more useful and palatable to the community.

41
Q

Calligraphy

A

Writing as art - most highly regarded and important component of Islamic art, as it preserves the divine word of the Koran. In addition, believed that the first thing God created was the primordial pen - sanctity of written word; everything for eternity has been written already.

42
Q

Quran

A

Holy book of Islam - Gabriel appeared to Muhammad and said recite and he recited a revelation, the Quran. Articulates a single, universal truth that can be reached in a single way

43
Q

Monoscenic narrative

A

Type of narrative that shows a single scene - very common in Mughal art, with only a few exceptions. Rarer in Indian/Mewar art.

44
Q

Synoptic narrative

A

Characters are shown more than once, in no apparent order. Different times but viewers meant to decipher on their own.

45
Q

Narrative networks

A

Closely related to synoptic narratives, but instead of showing merely characters repeated, shows entire separate narratives in mixed order - up to the reader to decipher - engages.

46
Q

True Arch

A

Unlike corbelled arch, consists of keystone and voussoirs. Generally believed to have been more or less unknown to India before the Turns entered.

47
Q

The Bombay Progressive Artist’s Group (PAG)

A

Definition

48
Q

Qibla

A

Wall that marks the direction of Mecca. Contains Mihrab, a semicircular niche. Indicates direction in which people should face when praying.

49
Q

Masjid

A

Arabic word for mosque. Based off of the arrangement of Muhammad’s house where he gave sermons.

50
Q

“Modern” in Indian Art

A

In West, late 19th-early 20th but India can’t use the same timeline. Ran well into the latter half of the 20th century

51
Q

Modernism in India

A

Crucial problem of identity - how to incorporate social change and modernity while maintaining connections with past/not rejecting the past. Paradox of becoming modern while returning to source.

52
Q

Derivative Art

A

Privilege given to West means that Indian artists had to worry more about having “derivative” art

53
Q

Primitivism

A

A romantic longing for the simplicity and innocence of ancient times

54
Q

Khajuraho temples

A

Chandella temples clustered around one area. Large assembly indicates desire to declare power of dynasty and perhaps also create center of religious learning. All temples consist of sanctum fronted by one or more halls. Nagara style with shikharas - appear like peaks of mountains.

55
Q

Qutb al-Din Aybak

A

Turkish general that took over Delhi and proclaimed himself emperor.

56
Q

Figural images in Islamic Art

A

Hadith says that on Day of Judgment, Allah will order people who have created replicas of human form to breathe life into them, and those unable to do so will be cast into deepest pits of hell. God is the only artist. Figural art an outrage.

57
Q

Mahtab Bagh

A

Moonlight Garden. Posited by Moynihan, subsequent excavations found walls which line up with those of Taj, and octagonal pool which reflects Taj Mahal in moonlight. Inclusion of Mahtab Bagh places Taj at center of complex.

58
Q

Mughal painting

A

Mughal painting from apparently nowhere, mostly b/c Humayun brought back two Iranian master painters that he met during his exile in Persia. These artists took charge of Akbar’s workshop and supervised around 100 local painters. These painters combined indigenous painting traditions with Iranian styles. No Persian fantastic coloring such as gold sky and no round Persian faces. Also no sharp angles on body as found in Jain paintings. Multiple people involved in process: master artist for composition, another to add color, a specialist on faces

59
Q

Akbar’s justification for figural painting

A

Painting makes painter think about God and realize his own limitations/God’s supremacy