Understanding Art #1

19 July 2021 11:03

Blue mosque, Istanbul Turkey: since Islam forbids use of color and painting the creators used blue stone to
add aesthetic value. As students of History we are more interested in understanding this structure as a
source than to appreciate the aesthetic value. We will not be able to deconstruct this structure until we
know it's History. Ottoman building. Ottoman empire very large extended from Europe in the west right up
to the borders of Afghanistan in the east. From the caucuses to Saudi Arabia. The head is the emperor.
Sultan Ahmed I 17th century built this. Fought a war. Defeated by Persian empire. Expensive war. The defeat
brought down the prestige of the emperor. So to regain the lost support of his people he constructed a large
mosque. He did not have spoils of the war to spend on this mosque. His predecessors would win wars to
bring in spoils. War a tool for the victors. Spoils include workers, engineers and scientists as well as material
wealth. The predecessors would use spoils to construct buildings and declare supremacy. This guy didn't
have spoils so he constructed this by levying taxes and out of his own wealth. This angered the ullemas
because the treasury which is public repository was used to construct a mosque that would bear his name.
Also he was misusing religion to gain support.

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Cologne Cathedral, Germany: 17th century. Testament to Catholicism. Construction stopped during the
reformation when Protestantism gained patrons. However 19th unification of Germany - Prussian Protestant
ruler restarted the construction to gain support of Catholics for reunification. Represents how faith is
politicized by State.

^Interior of the cathedral

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Angkor Wat in Cambodia: Seed of conflict between Hindu and Buddhist rulers. In the 12th century it was
initially a Hindu temple however by the end of the century it was considered a Buddhist cite.

Mahadeva temple, Itagi: Vikram Aditya 6 gave this space to his general Mahadeva where the guy
constructed this.

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Understanding Art #2
20 July 2021 09:05

We are not students of humanities even because history is a posteriori. Humanities

connects itself to emotions. Often fictitious. poems. Opposed to that we are students of
social sciences. We need evidence. The mind takes precedence over emotion. Evidence is
especially required for History. So then why are we looking at art.
The lens we look at through is problematizing. Not interested in appreciation. Trying to
decipher art. Trying to find whether it has any statements to make that become important
to us as students of history.

(A posteriori is a term applied to knowledge considered to be true based on experience,

observation, or existing data.)

Irrespective of form all art has non aesthetic component. Rep ethical and moral concerns,
political statements, propaganda. Eg. Robert Wagner Hitler music. Art has many
dimensions. It is to the reader to infer. We have to develop that sensitivity to look at art in a
critical manner.

Devalaya Chakravarty - Percy Brown termed the Mahadeva temple that. Large temple
complex. Small temples in a large prakara/compound. Maintained by archaeological survey
of India. The structure is important in terms of its political preserves to us. Vikram Aditya 6
gave him land in recognition of his service in the Chalukya army. Mahadeva used it to
construct this temple complex.

^Brihadeshvara temple entrance.

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Brihadeshvara Temple: It is magnificent because of its height 200ft. The weight of the dome
at the top is magnificent - 3 mile long ramp used to add the dome. For us what is important
is the way this structure got politicized. The statement of the state. Projected as the might
of the chola empire. Raja Raja chola wanted to equate this with the might of the chola
empire.

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Cordova mosque: Romans had temple to Junis. Then Romans became Christian. Attacked
this pagan temple and converted it into a church honoring St Vincent. By 8CE the Moors
(Spanish Muslims) Umayyad dynasty of Hispania wanted to establish Islamic victory.

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(Spanish Muslims) Umayyad dynasty of Hispania wanted to establish Islamic victory.
Converted church into mosque. 13C revival of dynasties in Europe. Crusades. Christians v
Muslims. Ferdinand III victorious converted mosque into church when he was victorious.
This structure represents religious control of a territory. Today it is bifurcated Inyo a mosque
and a church. There are gates. There are arguments from either side to convert it wholly to
their side. Pls refer to last part of recording for map explanation.

^Gates/divisions within Cordova mosque

Vidhan Soudha: emblems of the state. Flag. Inscription. Government work is God's work.
Elaborate wood paneling. Why? No state is satisfied with being recognized as just state -
wants to communicate awe and majesty of the state.

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Opera House, Sydney: Why is it created like this? Other than the acoustics. It should elicit a
response from the viewer. That is the aim of the Patron. Why? So that the power of the
patron is communicated.

Even something like the UB City building. Communicates the power of United Breweries in
the market share in India.

Structures are therefore communicative of a lot more than the aesthetic value. Deconstruct.

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Architecture and Sculpture
26 July 2021 09:27

What is the primary difference between sculpture and Architecture? Both are a
part of art. However they are specific and different.

Architecture is the whole building.

Ma'am wants us to make drawings? Not for the paper but to enrich our learning?

Sculpture - a statue. Immobile. A figure. It can a bas relief or a monolith. Need not
be human. Could be a random geometric design.

Sculpture is sculpting an image on a medium.

Why does human history pursue the act of sculpting?

1. Acts as a relievo figure - (relief = break) sculptures are breaking away from
the monotony of a place. If a place is very plain designers and architects
bring in Sculpture. Aesthetic component.
2. Narration/thematic - to narrate a theme - religious or some king. Narration
of an event. Eg. Buddhist structures narrate the lifestory of Buddha. Quickly
communicate a theme instead of writing which may not be read. Thematic
narration makes it utilitarian.

Categories within sculpture:

1. Monolithic - free standing - eg. Thinking Man - four dimensional - can be
seen from all sides

2. Bas relief - abutting a wall behind. A part of the sculpture is merged into the
wall. Or to a surface.
a. High relief - when the projection is very clear, protruding, three
dimensional.
b. Low relief - when the projection from the wall/surface is not very clear,
not very three dimensional. Merging into the wall rather than
projecting outwards.
c. Panel - multiplicity of images.

Image Gallery:
1. Monoliths: Thinking Man and Pieta

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2. Low relief sculpture:

3. High relief sculpture at Ellora:

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Understanding Art #3
20 July 2021 09:53

What is art? Is there a difference between art and architecture? Technical terms.
We are looking at art not as tradition but as visual text. Evidence. An aid to
construct/problematise History.

Branches within art: innumerable differences between them. But there also layers of
assimilation within them. They constantly merge.

1. Art is inclusive - music, painting, flower arrangement, dance. The term is inclusive. A
large umbrella under which a number of activities are included. Architecture and
sculpture are more specific terms. They are still art though.
2. There is a constant interface/intermingling between all of them. One cannot study any
in isolation. Eg. Studying a building. Will have sculptures, inscriptions, maybe carvings
of dancers.
3. Performing arts: where an individual performs. Singing, dancing. mobility.
4. Static art: paintings, sculpture. fixed.

Picasso - Guernica: General Franco supported by Hitler. Attacked town of Guernica. The
village had only women and children at the time of the bombing. An outrage of protest. An
outpour of grief. The ray of hope is minimal in an age of brutality.

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^Van Gogh (well duh)

^Augustine Roden's Thinking Man, Florence.

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^Pieta by Michelangelo.

It is difficult to separate the emotive part and be critical. So we must be cautious.

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Alphabets of Indian art
27 July 2021 09:06

Without certain contextual awareness students of history end up with the same
understanding as a lay person while looking at art. The above image. I don't know what it
conveys. I don't know where it's from. What even is this man.
(me fr tho- Poseidon? Waaat?l!) But like I am not able to historicize it.

In society we are trained to appreciate aesthetics. Beyond that we are completely unaware.
We can appreciate. But not read an image. All of us interpret the same thing differently. We
take something that is specific to our training and our domain. The problem is that as
students of history have never been trained to look at art as a historic text. To accept it
beyond an aesthetic component we need to train ourselves into the smaller nuances.

If Architecture and sculpture are to be taken as sources it is crucial to also understand art
instead of simply viewing it. They cannot just be observed or watched but be taken as texts.
We must deconstruct and problematize and make sense of the images. Then they become
historic texts.

There is a stark difference between seeing/watching and understanding. The former is an

emotional approach. It engages the senses. The latter is an intellectual approach. The mind
provides a distance from the emotions. The emotions are appeased by the beauty but my
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provides a distance from the emotions. The emotions are appeased by the beauty but my
mind tries to understand.

Understanding requires training. There are many nuances involved. There is a reason why
someone in an image is seated in a certain posture. Or why the elephant is under an arch.
The image must be understood. This requires deconstruction and asking pertinent questions
and reading up.

There is the issue of representation v. Recreation. All the old world cultures are about
understanding. European/Western art is about watching. Some of the artistic tradition. The
Greco Roman. It was about recreating images as they are. Western art looks at recreating.
How exactly he can recreate what he has seen. Recreating in its exactitude. The eastern
sensibilities was in representing the essence. Specifically in India. The Orientation of an
artist was to represent an idea and not recreate it. Indian artists quickly understood and
argued that it is impossible to recreate something in its exact nature. Eg. A sculptor is trying
to carve a flower. His skill might be brilliant and everything might be carved in its exactitude.
Despite the technical perfection Indian sensibilities argued that the sculptor cannot
recapture the smell. There is no way something can be recreated. Therefore the eastern
sensibility said it would be better to capture the essence. Symbols. Motifs.
Accompaniments. Bhangas and mudras - postures. These communicate the essence.
Therefore the image must be understood. What symbols are used and why? Why is Buddha
always seated or standing? Why isn't he dancing like shiva? Etc. After understanding we
need to problematize. Why this and why not something else? Why are roses not more
extensively used in Indian art? etc. And this requires knowing the alphabets of Indian art.

What we are studying is art of the Indian subcontinent. Subcontinent because it is a large
part demarcated by natural boundaries. Himalayan mountains. Includes Afghanistan,
Pakistan, parts of Myanmar and Sri Lanka. Spread across major parts of Asia. Common
features of art. From Iran and turkey, Central Asian territories. Indian art had spread.

Alphabets of Indian Art: The most often used images that are there in Indian art.
Extensively used in Hindu, Buddhist art in Indian subcontinent. Even in Persia, Sumatra etc.
These need to be understood in their metaphysical, historical and physical sense. We are
going to concentrate on the most common alphabets.

1. Kamala - lotus:
- Charvakas, ajivikas, all faiths always use lotus.
- Why? Either the deities are sitting on a lotus or holding a lotus.
- These alphabets are used in religious and secular art. Sometimes only in religious or
only in secular.
- Kamala is only used in religious art. Why is it used? Native to South Asia. Grown
extensively in South Asia. Many varieties. Philosophical meaning - represents purity.
Why? Will not grow in a pure atmosphere. Only grows in muddy water/slush. However
no part of the plant ever carries any mud on it. Not the leaf not the petals. All cultures
believed that God is a representation of purity compared to the dirty human world.
Therefore all religious images come with lotus.

2. Kalpa vriksha/kalpa Latha:

- vriksha = tree
- Latha = creeper, kalpa = wish
- Wish fulfilling tree/creeper
- Panchavati: Bilva- banyan, Aala - arali, tengu - coconut, and aamalaka - Gooseberry.
- Considered wish fulfilling because of their ability to satisfy many wishes. Food, shelter

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 - Considered wish fulfilling because of their ability to satisfy many wishes. Food, shelter
medicine, fuel.
- No part of the tree is ever wasted. That's why coconut trees aren't axed.
- Satisfies all requirements of human society.
- Banyan tree because it provides shelter to birds worms insects animals. Indicates
nurturing nature.
- Peepal arali have individual leaves.
- Extraordinary qualities make them wish fulfilling trees.
- Topography. Both religious and secular. Historically they have economic value. Rep
social traditions.

3. Chakra - wheel:
- More often than not it is religious. It is an act of prayer in religious art. In secular art it
may be part of a chariot or something.
- Denotes mobility. Movement. Speed. TIME. Time does not stand still. It is the divine
beings that control time. Therefore chakra is a standalone figure or accompanying a
divine person.
- Eg. The first sermon Buddha gave was at Saranath. It is known as dharma chakra
pravartana. Dharma is righteousness. Chakra means mobility. Pravartana is someone
who will disseminate knowledge. Spreading the movement of righteousness.

4. Chamara/Chatri:
- chamara is the fly whisk. Religious as well as secular
- Chatri is umbrella. Indicates service. Service to both religious and secular identities.
- Eg. Monarchs sat under umbrellas and were surrounded by flywhisk bearers or
chamaradharis.
- Bearers are mortals or inferiors. The deity is immortal supreme extraterritorial.

5. Shanku and samudra:

- shanku is the conch shell.
- Samudra is water.
- Shanku is used to herald presence of divinity. Used for religious images.
- Monarchs are not heralded by blowing conch. Only deities.
- Water is respected all over Asia because of its capacity to give life. Water is considered
the most important component.

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Postures and gestures
02 August 2021 09:37

Bhangas and mudras. Not just there for aesthetic purpose. Each bhanga and mudra
communicate specific meanings. Represents a Rasa or emotion. Rasas categorized into 9
varieties. Eg. Bhibhatsa - revolting, scared
Hasyarasa - mirth, laughter, smile
9 rasas in all human beings. Bhangas and mudras indicate these Rasas. We look at art as
visual text so we need to understand the emotions communicated.

Bhangas:
1. Tribhanga
2. Samabhanga
3. Atibhanga - anger and frustration

Mudras:
1. Abhaya
2. Vyakhyayana
3. Bhoomisparsha
4. Shanta

Tribhanga posture - performing arts, dance

- Body leaning in three directions. Head leaning in one direction. Above waist one
- Communicates shriranga Rasa - performing arts - communicates happiness and
performance

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Abhaya mudra - open palm with slight hollow
- Assurance given to believer that they will always be protected.
- Notice the lotus she is sitting on

- Kalpa latha

Padmasana. Abhaya mudra. Ajanta caves. Elephant close to Buddha's feet. Elephants and
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Padmasana. Abhaya mudra. Ajanta caves. Elephant close to Buddha's feet. Elephants and
lions.

Yakshi in tribhanga posture. Clinging on to tree. Sanchi stupa. Yakshi is monolith. Rest is
high relief.

Fore finger and thumb form a circle. Vyakhyayana mudra. Indicates explanation. Teachers
philosophers monks. Or gods in act of lecturing.

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philosophers monks. Or gods in act of lecturing.

Bhumisparsha mudra - touching/ pointing to the ground. Indicative of mediation. semi

samabhanga posture. Where the body is depicted as standing straight. Sama vertical.
Here the slight bent knee and uneven positioning of arms Make it semi samabhanga. Notice
the length of his arm, extending below the knee. Also the robe. He isn't naked here.

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Dwara palas always leaning on clubs

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Shanta mudra - hands - reflection or prayer
This is a bas relief

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Samabhanga - orderliness. Here it is Mahavira. Teaching.

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Anthropomorphization
03 August 2021 09:12

It is the process of providing a concrete form to an idea or concept. Moving from the
abstract to the tangible.

It can be providing form to a religious, spiritual or an ordinary idea. Providing a human form,
more specifically, to an abstract notion.

The most important feature of anthropomorphization, the only consideration, in trying to

provide a tangible form one cannot go beyond their experiential world. Nothing can go
beyond what they have experienced, their experiential understanding, what they know,
what they are familiar with. We are unable to visual and express beyond what we have
experienced.

Extraterritoriality: beyond earth. Terra = earth.

^Justice. Blind fold = blind to background, etc, i.e. non discriminatory

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^brother killing brother is the epitome of evil. Description of evil in an imaginary world is
nothing but what is considered evil in our world.

^Asgard is basically Burj Khalifa

Why did anthropomorphization come about?

1. The capacity to perceive: the human mind is not capable of understanding anything
that is abstract. Each way of structuring something communicates a different meaning.
We are surrounded by a tangible world. Language, nature all very structured.
2. Legitimizes an argument. Heterodoxy- protest faiths like Buddhism and Jainism,
protesting against the existing order. Both born in the region of Bihar. The only way to
spread it was to create tangible forms. Images of Buddha, stupa etc. In order to make

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 spread it was to create tangible forms. Images of Buddha, stupa etc. In order to make
themselves appealing to people outside, who had not seen Buddha.
Depiction of mara in sculpture.
3. Priority of the artist: Dilemma of representation v. Recreation. Representation also
required tangible forms. The human body is the best way of communicating. Very
familiar. Took it as the basic model to represent ideas. Kept getting remodified to suit
the idea to be communicated.

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Faith Images
03 August 2021 10:37

Architecture has a number of images. Images could be sculptures, icons, carvings.

FAITH IMAGES:

Not to be understood as true replicas of divine identities. Images constructed by the

community. Just constructed images. May not even represent Buddha as he actually was.
Represents faith. Belief of that community. Do not represent actual reality.
Anthropomorphized constructions.

How does a statue of Jesus become anthropomorphization? Rn statues of Jesus are

Caucasian even tho real Jesus was a Jew.
Buddha did not look the same either. Not strictly anthropomorphized but also not true
recreations of how they were. Just a representation of their spirit. Just a social construct
based on certain aspirations.

Buddha is represented both as Buddha and bodhisattva. Bodhisattva - the belief that
Buddha had many lives before he became Buddha. Born as an animal, as a merchant, a
business man, as a general etc. In those lives he is known as boddhisattva. Literally the
Essence of being Buddha. Jataka tales are a compilation of Buddha's lives before he became
Buddha. Images depict both. Buddha or boddhisattva always standing or seated. Either in
samabhanga or in shantamudhra or bhumi sparsha. All his images are fully clothed.

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^avalokya deshvara (boddhisattva) and Tara

Tara - Buddhist goddess of wisdom. Female counterpart of Buddha.

Mara - Buddhist devil

Pan southeast Asian images.

^mahavira and ajitanatha(always accompanied by elephants)

Teachers in Jainism known as tirthankaras. 24 teachers in Jainism. Mahavira is the last

tirthankara. All Jain figures are Digambara figures. Renounced food, clothing, shelter.
Completely nude figures to represent the principle of renunciation.
Tirthankaras can be recognized by animals around them.
They can either be monolith eg. Mahavira in slide. Or high relief as in ajitanatha.

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^look at the alphabets. Chamaradharis. Halo/chakra.

^please refer to recording of 09-08-21 for more details

Hindu iconography- multiple organs to suggest than they are non-human.

Satva - Rajas - Tamas. They're triguna. Three qualities. Each guna is represented by a god.

Satva - represents piety. Calm and tranquil. Also able to create. Represented through
Brahma. Four faces. Creator. The universe he created is brahmanda. Always seated on lotus
pedestal. Has four arms. Holds lotus, Vedas. Four faces and Vedas exist on all Brahma
images. Looking in all directions of the universe. Supposed to live in manasasarrovara. Lake
that is the mind. Very few temples dedicated as he is more in thought. Always accompanied
by a swan.

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Consorts - spouses. Brahma's spouse is Saraswathi. Goddess of knowledge, performing art,
literature and speech. Presiding Goddess of speech and knowledge also accompanied by
swan. Also has four arms, holding vedas, kamala, veena and the other one is in abhaya
mudra.

^saraswati with swan and veena

No hierarchy in triguna.

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Rajas - sustaining what had already been created. Managing and monitoring. Vishnu. Several
incarnations because he is sustaining the world. There are supposed to be 10. Each is a very
strong representation of the evolution of the world. Dashavatara - ten incarnations of
Vishnu. South Asian and south East Asian iconography. Chaturbhuja. Shanku - conch.
Chakra - wheel - control
Abhaya mudra
Other arm holds mace.
The three most repeated incarnations in iconography are varaha, banana and narasimha.
Usually as bas relief.
Accompanied by eagle. Garuda.

Varaha - wild boar. His face resembles a wild boar. Prithvi was very tired of maintaining
earth and sunk into ocean and he went and brought her back. That's the picture on the left.
Varaha and Prithvi.
Right - Vamana - Vishnu asked king Bali for space for three steps but he went as a dwarf/
child. but when he took the steps he placed one step on the earth, the second on the
heavens?? And the third on Bali's head.

Dashavatara images. Wooden models painted with vegetable dyes. Local craft. That second
last one is Buddha.

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Tamas is destruction of everything that is not righteous. Akriti - form. Purushakriti - human
form with four arms. Lingakriti - depicted in stone form - phallic form.
Dancing - many arms sometimes.
Damaru - drum to herald destruction
Accompanied by a bull Nandi
Dancing posture - celebration of destruction.

^nataraja

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^Lingakriti

Maheshaasura is the devil.

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Secular Images
03 August 2021 10:37

Architecture has a number of images. Images could be sculptures, icons, carvings.

SECULAR IMAGES

Secular images are those which are completely disassociated from religious priorities of
society. Outside of religion.

1. Flora: floral images are those images that have flower carvings on them. Trees flowers
creepers. Brought in either for relief on plain surfaces. Or as representative motifs. On
the walls of temples etc. as bas relief.

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2. Fauna: animals, birds and insects. Mythical units as well.

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Gandhara School of Art #1
09 August 2021 10:05

Each architect has a signature sign of building. Some use mud to build bricks and then build.
Others prefer steel. Each school has its own preferences and philosophy. That is known as
styles. The three schools have different stylistic orientations.

Gandhara art - art of gandhara region. Iconography. Sculpture. It was primarily Buddhist in
nature. Parallel name Gandhara Buddha. Repeatedly focused on Buddhist art. Carving
Buddha. Unlike Amravati that had other Buddhist images too, Gandhara art only focused on
Buddha. Patronised by kushana dyasty - kanishka. Kushanas belonged to yuezhi tribe
located in Mongolia and north western China. Settled down in the region of Afghanistan and
Pakistan belt - purushapura /Peshawar.

Politicization of art - kushanas were migrants. They needed very strong tools of legitimacy
and justification. As rulers acceptance was needed. State depended on society's acceptance.
Chose religion as their tool. Ascribed to predominant faith in the region that was Buddhism.
Buddhism had travelled across the Gangetic belt reached Pakistan Afghanistan and Iran.
Originated from Bihar Nepal region. To legitimise authority they adopted Buddhism and
became patrons of Buddhist faith.

Why did they feel the need to come up with art? Buddha's period was 4BCE. To
communicate Buddhism effectively a tangible form was needed. Neither Buddha was there

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communicate Buddhism effectively a tangible form was needed. Neither Buddha was there
nor were disciples. It had been over 600 years. Therefore he needed a form. In the
memories of society the image of Buddha were lapsing. They needed to revive his memory
was by providing a concrete form around which communication and instruction can be
structured. Therefore they resorted to Mahayana buddhism. Mahayana worshipped
Buddha. Saw him as a God. For Rulers that seemed more effective and began
anthropomorphising him. realised there was a large number of Greek Roman Macedonian
artisans in the region at the time (descendants of sikandar's Greeks and Romans and
Macedonian artisans he brought along who decided to stay back in the region). The rulers
employed these artisans to come up with the images of Buddha.

When they were employed the structure was Greco Roman but the content was Indian. The
early Gandhara Buddhas looked like Roman gods with togas. Later those features became
more Indian. Last point on the slides are the centres of gandhara art.

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Early Buddha

Toga

Niche - any recession in the wall

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^bamiyan after Taliban destroyed buddha

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Gandhara School of Art #2
16 August 2021 09:09

Please refer to class recording for this date. The first few minutes. The first fifteen minutes.

What profession would be suited for Buddhists and Jains that would not go against their
faith. Trade. No violence. No caste oppression either. So the kushana rulers set up Buddhist
images in trade routes. The traders would sponsor Buddhist activity and contribute towards
the exchequer.

Most of the early Buddhist images were roman/Greek style. but once the images of Buddha
became a thing, the next thing was to make him indigenous. Indian. The need for
indigenising buddha began and that need brought in it a tremendous dilemma among
Buddhists and kushanas. When Buddha was alive they were not brought into visual
evidence format - sculpture, painting. They were only heard. No evidence of what they
looked like. Tradition of being mendicant - disciples of Buddha - travelled around, gave
sermons. By the time the need for giving Buddha a face came about all the generations that
new what Buddha looked like were long gone. Why was the need felt by the kushanas
during this period? Communicating with a society is far easier when there are tangible
images. Less vague and abstract. Hinduism had thousands of years to strengthen itself
through the contributions of many philosophers. Buddhism and Jainism just had these two
founders. Didn't seem to have philosophical depth. Just behavioural change. While the
original leaders were alive making these changes were more attractive. After their demise,
not so much. Treating Buddha as a God would bring in the need for temples and statues of
Buddha. The kushanas anthropomorphized buddha in a sense.

Without having any image of Buddha to fall back on they had to come up with their own
ideas. That's where the mahapurusha lakshana from the Indian texts of aesthetics came in.
Mahapurusha - Great man. Lakshana -features. These features were incorporated into
Buddha.
Please watch recording again here because you have sucky network girl. The ushnisha point.
Thick eyebrows and circle of hair - Urna.
Next was curly hair - it was said curly hair equals good oratory, judgement, wisdom. It's why
old judges wore wigs with curly hair. Wide forehead. Wide shiny eyes. Arched eyebrows .

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Half-closed eyes in an act of introspection, meditation, concentration.
Elongated ear lobes.
Neelanasika - long, well-shaped, prominent nose.
Wide set shoulders.
Aajanubahu - the arms will go right up to the knees. Long arms.
And standing in samabhanga posture.

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They also brought in prabahvani - the disc behind his head. The halo.

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Mathura School of Art
16 August 2021 11:18

Lay in the heart of the trade route.

Unlike gandhara, mathura was not patronised by any ruler or state. It was patronised by the
artisan guild and mercantile community. Brief lifespan. After that it was merged with
gandhara. The medium used was red sandstone as that was what was available in gangetic
region. They considered Buddha as a teacher or mentor rather than as a divine identity.

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However they retained the mahapurusha laksha. But many mathura buddhas had clean
shaven head Buddha as well. Since represented more of a teacher or philosopher, indicated
complete renunciation of the world.
Gandhara Buddha wore toga. Mathura Buddha wore dhotri and uttariya.

^mathura buddha - depicted more as an ascetic than God

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^mathura buddha - depicted more as an ascetic than God

^bust of early mathura buddha

Mathura Buddha carried bhikhsa patra #justasceticthings

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Amaravati School of Art
16 August 2021 11:43

Second point - capitals of satavahana dynasty

Points three and four were significant rulers. They carried their maternal names. Son of
queen Gautami.
Trisamudra-bay of Bengal, arabian sea, Indian Ocean
Toyapeeta - has drunk the water
Vahana - has converted into his vehicle.
Drank the water of the three seas and now drives the region.

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Three varieties of amaravati Buddhist art - stupa, chaityagraha and vihara. Did not promote
image of Buddha human form. Represented him through the stupa. Worshipped the stupa.
Chaityagraha is the place where the stupa was kept. Buddhist temple. Vihara - Buddhist
monastery. Other two schools stuck to Iconography instead of architecture. This school
didn't sculpt Buddha, only represented him through stupa.

Chaitya is a pali word for chetana. Griha means residence. Residence of the spirit of Buddha.
They are rock cut Architecture instead of constructed units. A rock cut structure is a huge
hill or boulder into which the structure is carved. No laying a foundation anoll. Earliest
available evidence of architectural units in India. Constructed buildings only from Mauryan
era.
Hewned out of a rock these chaityagrahas.

Rock cut/cave architecture with resemblance to wooden structures. Last bullet point are the
various places where chaityagrahas are found. By themselves they do not have names. They
are arranged in a hierarchy. Karli comes last. Most refined. They were experimental in
nature. Timber in abundance in South East Asia. Tradition of construction was mostly in
wood. When they gradually shifted to stone, architects not sure about the technicalities of
constructing with rock so early structures resembled wooden structures. Later the
resemblance decreased.

All chaityas and viharas are located away from urban population and habitation. Hilly
regions for rock cut architecture. Both Buddhism and Jainism constantly upheld the virtue or

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regions for rock cut architecture. Both Buddhism and Jainism constantly upheld the virtue or
renunciation. Did not permit monks to reside within materialistic life. Had to constantly be
on the move. Propagated the faith. India is a land of monsoons, rivers overflowing. Only
during that time they would reside in a particular places. That's when they would live in the
viharas and prep for their next mission trip.

^rock cut caves. Niche.

2 minor - pradikshana patha.

1 central - main entrance
Chaitya window facing east to allow in maximum light and air.
Used columns instead of walls to prevent darkened interiors and to avoid losing space.
Intercolumnation - the space between two pillars

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Aisle - the passage - the pradakshina Patha
Knave - the central space
Pls refer to class recording for 17? 08. 21 I'm sad today
Kumbha - pot
Shaft with faces - fluting
Abacus - the bracket

15 pillars on either side. Stone reapers a replica of the wooden panelling. The horizontal
beams to support the ceiling. Since they were not sure of the technicalities of rock
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beams to support the ceiling. Since they were not sure of the technicalities of rock
construction they used the technicalities of wooden construction. Or they may have been
brought in as a decorative ceiling to enhance the aesthetic appeal.
All columns have a base. They may also have a second base to enhance appeal. Then there is
the shaft (the body). Then there is the capital. Above that is the neck. Some pillars Don't
have a neck or thada. Above that is the spreading abacus. The abacus in karli chaityagraha
have male and female riders. The portion that faces the knave has riders on an elephant and
the part that faces the aisle has riders on a horse.

Stupa is essentially a burial mound which has the relics of Buddha. An ordinary mound will
just have mud but as a monument they were stylised. stone, tiling, brick. A decorative stone
or brick burial mound.
Base or platform over which there is the stupa. The stupa has it's own base then a semi
spherical drum or anda. Above that there is harmica.

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Contains either the remains of Buddha (strand of hair etc) or they would bury a part of the
scriptures. Pitakas. Three in number therefore tripitaka. a sentence from these were copied
to a palm leaf and then buried. An object of the faith. in a box which is kept in the anda.

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Constructed over a period of 500 years approximately. Amaravati stupa is a sharirika stupa -
contains the remains of Buddha. Paribhogika - contains an object of the faith.
Foundations of Amaravati stupa is said to have been laid by an emmisary of ashoka.
Amaravati was the last capital of the satavahanas at the peak of their power. The
satahavanas redecorated it and made it bigger and more beautiful. The elongated the drum
to make it an inverted U. Amaravati was one of the biggest stupas at that point of time.
Refer to ppt for measurements. Upper part was limestone. Lower part probably had bas
relief. Douglas Barret recovered parts of the stupa and carried it back to England.

Conjectural structure - a restoration of a structure based on description of historians.

Aryakasyhambas - the sets of four pillars

Gateway based on conjecture. Please rewatch recording for 23.08.21.

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During monsoons monks stayed in viharas and composed Buddhist works. Rock cut viharas
spartan in nature. Sparta was a city state in ancient Greece. Spartans believed that having a
military force was the representation of supremacy. Because they were so focused on a
military buildup they put aside everything else. Minimalistic lifestyle. Therefore spartan
lifestyle = simple, minimalistic lifestyle with few or no comforts.

Undavali caves (below)

Top layer - jain viharas

Middle layer - Buddhist viharas
Bottom layer - hindu iconography

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Bottom layer - hindu iconography

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Structures as Sources
24 August 2021 09:11

Structures are Powerful sources for understanding history. Using them as sources in order
to construct historic sensitivity. How do structures communicate with the viewer? UB City.
Twin towers. Red Square. Raj path. Not just buildings. Pathways. Constructed cities.
Irrespective of what the structures are they have all communicate something. Why did Vijay
Mallya construct such a large building? The might of the state could have been
communicated in another way.

A building has the capacity to communicate irrespective of its size compared to other
representations. It always has a capacity to elicit a response from the viewer. The viewer
could be completely ignorant of the context of the viewer. Some response will always be
there. Tangible is something that can be seen and something that can be touched and felt.
More tangible than other representations. A painting is tangible but not four dimensional.
You can't go around a painting. You can touch the surface of the painting. A building comes
with a dimension of its own. Even an ignorant person feels something. Either we feel
overwhelmed because it is beyond our capacity to comprehend or look at. When something
is beyond our sensory capacity it overwhelms us.

Even common people want to build their own houses to impress. Patrons have used
buildings from time immemorial to communicate a number of things.

Please look at class recording for like ten minutes at the end of first hour.

How do structures become sources:

1. Political source: dilemma or predicament of acquiring legitimacy and acceptance.
Legalise their authority. To justify the idea that they have power supported by the
people. All political institutions are constantly compromising their stance.
Representing millions of people. Can never please all sections. Maybe the majority but
not everyone. Because of this the mistrust of the people exists. There is scepticism.
Therefore political organisations are eternally struggling to get legitimacy. The
structure has greater visibility quotient. It has greater reach. That can be used to
communicate the identity. Then the might of the state will be communicated.
Structures carry epigraphical sources within them. Inscriptions. The content could
include the names of the patrons, of contemporaries but most importantly they will
indicate whether they are commemorative or not. Eg. 75 years of independence or a
Patron having won a war etc. That's commemorative. The statue of Liberty is indicative
of the liberation of America as a colony. To celebrate an event and immortalise it.
2. Economic identity: a building is always indicative of the resources available to the
patron. Any building is made up of financial implications. One cannot construct a
building without money. You can write a poem without spending any money. To think
you don't need money. But a building needs money. Budgetary allocations. A building
always indicates the financial capabilities of the Patron. If it is the state then the
resources available to the state are portrayed. In case of an individual building the
wealth of this individual. In order to get an idea of the economic situation of the
society one can look at the buildings. It is also indicative of the trade associations of
that time. A building requires stone, cements, metallurgy, blacksmiths. The
involvement of trade guilds, artisan guilds gets communicated through the building. A
building is an amalgamation of a number of professional expertise. It is also indicative
of the source of finance. Eg. Pharaoh would levy additional taxes to build pyramids.
Raja raja chola used the looted wealth from the colonies to construct the temple. The

UNIT 1 Page 55
 Raja raja chola used the looted wealth from the colonies to construct the temple. The
economic history is made familiar to us through the resources available. The
maintenance of the structure also requires additional resources. Raja raja chola passed
an edict saying that the income from the surrounding 15 villages would be dedicated
to the maintenance of the temple. The Mughal emperor paid one lakh gold coins per
year for the construction of the Taj Mahal. Historians say it just have cost 7000 crore
rupees. Economic strength of the state>
3. technological advancements. Artisans, masons etc. Experts from outside also hired.
The kind of technology used manually operated machinery. Tools and equipment.
Chisel and hammer different varieties. add awning to technical terms.
4. Cultural orientation: what kind of faith did they support. Medieval had inter and intra
faith patronage. Interfaith - Hindu ruler patronising Buddhist structures. Hoysalas
supported both Hinduism and Jainism. Gupta Period rock cut caves for Hindu,
Buddhists and Jains. All of this is revealed through structures. Also transformation of
strictures like a mosque becoming a church. Religious identities. Transformation
through structures. The way structures are designed are reflective of the political
reality. Jammu Kashmir used to be centre of Shaivism. However during Turco Afghan
warriors brought in Islam as a political tool. Reflected in the structures example -
aichan monastery. Alchen monastery v. Thiksey monastery more defensive in nature.

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Spaces
31 August 2021 08:59

Once a religious structure is put up it will need a lot of logistic support. Place for the faithful
to stay and dine. But their essential commodities. Materials for the structure. Flowers for
the prayers. Milk, honey whatever. around the temple a whole city will spring up and those
become temple towns and cities.
Ajmer is a temple town because the whole economy revolves around the structure. Why
were temples are churches targeted during invasions and attacks? We don't have thousand
year old palaces but we have 1000 + years old temples and churches. Why? Most of these
were constructed in imperishable material. Rocks. boulder. Not wood or brick or mud. Solid

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were constructed in imperishable material. Rocks. boulder. Not wood or brick or mud. Solid
imperishable material. Thus they were able to guard what was in them therefore the
treasury of a city was placed within the walls of the temple. Therefore temples were
attacked for booty. If the invading army was of the same faith they would take care to make
repairs to the structure. If not they didn't make any such efforts. Turco Afghan invasion.
Islamic faith did not tolerate idolatry. But the temples were targeted also for wealth.
Temples gradually transformed into defense installations.

The colonial interpretation of the nudity in Indian temples is different from the Indian. The
Indian one is that temples are the last place of material attraction - the exterior of temple
would be filled such full bodied images but once the devotee went in it would be more
sober to show that he was leaving it all behind.
Colonial - Victorian puranitism. Taken aback by. Grotesque representation of divinity.
Demonic looking gods and goddesses. Kali etc. Society barbaric. Sensuality - these were
heathens, interior, derogatory about the Indian value system. over a course of time the
structures become less full bodied. 17th c onwards the impact of Colonial Approaches was
felt - fully clothed more sober sculptures.

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