| Art has been produced throughout the Indian | | | | became dominant across India, and the Muslim leaders |
| subcontinent since 3000BC. To the eye of Western | | | | forbade the portrayal of the human figure, within a |
| collectors, Indian Art can seem highly ornate. Especially | | | | religious context. As Indian Art is rarely anything else, |
| in comparison to the modern and contemporary art | | | | this rule dramatically changed the face of Indian Art. |
| produced in America and Europe. Because of this, | | | | Indian paintings have been found in two areas of the |
| some might consider Indian Art to be an acquired | | | | Indian subcontinent. The Ajanta caves are a group of |
| taste. If it is, there is little wrong with this. Many of the | | | | thirty caves, located in the state of Maharashtra, east |
| finer things in life are only enjoyed, once they are truly | | | | central India. They were first discovered in 1819. The |
| appreciated. To appreciate something, it must be | | | | Ajanta frescoes are based upon on the Jatakas (the |
| understood first. To achieve an understanding of Indian | | | | life of Buddha), and reveal the development of Indian |
| Art, one must look upon it aesthetically, in relation to the | | | | Art up to around 700AD. This is known as the 'Gupta |
| culture and ideological concepts of this diverse and | | | | Period', and is the most classic period of Indian Art. The |
| highly ritualistic civilization. | | | | Ajanta Paintings are explicit in their spirituality, to the |
| Traditional Indian Art is expressive, sensitive, and highly | | | | point of being sensual; depicting various portrayals of |
| designed. It portrays a world, which has been relative | | | | Buddha, love scenes and sleeping women. |
| to the beliefs of the Indian people, since the year zero. | | | | Traditional Indian Art began to diminish at the end of |
| The beliefs of the Indian people have shown much | | | | the nineteenth century. British rule brought with it |
| tenacity over the last two thousand years. In which | | | | Western influences. Consequently, Indian Art became |
| case, their art has also remained as persistent, and | | | | a mere imitation of European Art. Nevertheless, in |
| consistent. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism are the | | | | comparison, this phase was relatively short lived. In one |
| three main religions in India. Hinduism, also known as | | | | hand, British rule had somewhat neutralized Indian |
| 'Sanatana Dharma' (which means 'The eternal law'), is | | | | culture. However, on the other hand, their |
| the most dominant. It is also considered to be the | | | | archaeological studies uncovered many ancient |
| oldest living religion. Jainism, also referred to as | | | | examples of Indian Art. This, in turn, led to renewed |
| 'Shraman Dharma' or 'Jain Dharma', is an old Indian | | | | interest in more traditional, ancient styles. One of the |
| Dharma religion. Similar to Buddhism and Hinduism, the | | | | leading universities in India is the Visya-Bharati |
| most fundamental philosophy of Jainism is based upon | | | | University. It was founded by Rabingranath Tagore (a |
| self help, and a progression towards a higher level of | | | | painter and the first Asian poet to win the Nobel prize |
| spirituality. To pursue the ultimate goal, which is to | | | | for literature), in 1921. The purpose of the university |
| achieve a supreme state; a state known in Jainism as | | | | was to bring Western and Indian cultures together. |
| 'Jina' (meaning conqueror), and known in Buddhism, as | | | | Here, Indian Artists experimented with many of the |
| enlightenment. In Hinduism, this is moksha, which means | | | | early twentieth century art styles, including |
| 'freedom'. | | | | impressionism and surrealism; As well as reviving |
| All three religions revolve around the conceptual | | | | traditional Indian Art styles, primarily, those of the Gupta |
| paradox of existence. Based upon those concepts, | | | | Period. |
| Indian Art touches upon the three essential elements | | | | Painter, Nandalal Bose, is regarded by many modern |
| of that existence. That is, our senses; sight, touch, smell, | | | | art critics to be among the best twentieth century |
| taste, and sound; and our emotions and inner spirit. | | | | Artists of India. As a young artist, Nandalal Bose joined |
| Within Indian Art, it is all these things that make our | | | | a circle of writers and Artists whose intention was to |
| world. Each fusing with the other to produce form. | | | | revive the classic Indian traditions. His work depicts |
| Ancient Indian Art swept through the far east, | | | | village life, and Indian mythology. Indian Art has |
| alongside Hinduism and Buddhism. Because of this, it | | | | re-established its traditions. However, there continues |
| became highly influential in Asian Art, especially in China | | | | to be a certain essence of the West, within the work. |
| and Japan. From the thirteenth to the eighteenth | | | | Once again, proving art does not dictate life. Life |
| century, Indian Art became more geometrical. Islam | | | | dictates art. |