Evolution of indian art

Evolution of Indian Art

India. A land of art and culture since the inception of time. When it comes to the context of visual art, India has been creating it for more than five thousand years now. The Indian soil offers art marvels in huge varieties. The spectrum of art is so wide that it encompasses a diversity of styles and subjects. A lot of mythological and religious influences can be witnessed on the creations of art and these influences have helped in creating some of the most beautiful artworks in the history of the world. The depth of Indian Art is enormous and the creations are still very appealing and they continue to mesmerise people from around the world.

A Historical Overview

The Indus Valley Civilization, one of the most ancient civilizations of the world, was a combination of well-planned towns but somehow it didn’t leave any traces of monumental sculptures. However, it did had some marvellous scriptures in stone, terracotta and metal. As new religions were coming up, the genre of art and architecture was booming in India. Right from rock caves to magnificently carved monuments, Indian art had started spreading its wings across different capacities of art styles. The Mauryans, who were ruling in the North, were followed by the Sungas throughout the course of 200-75 B.C. One of the marvels of that age was the stone stupas of Barhut and Sanchi.

When the Kushana phase started during 1-1500 A.D., a school of sculpture was established in Gandhara which was located in Kabul valley. The Gupta dynasty (300-600 A.D.) is considered to be the golden age for Indian Art. When the time of Pallava and Chola dynasties came during 800-1300 A.D, art on the architectures of temples was catching up pace. Various temples hold evidence of the beautiful art which existed in that era. Innumerable sculptures were created in the name of Gods and Goddesses. However, the themes weren’t just confined to the religious aspects only.

Inspirations were taken from daily life and art was created around different subjects. One of the major attractions, since the time of its origin till now, are the erotic scenes in Khajuraho, Bundelkhand. This temple was built as per the commands of the Chandela kings during the period 950-1200 A.D. Approximately thirty temples were brought into existence which were dedicated to various religious figures like Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Jain pontiffs. Each and every one of these eras made its special contribution towards Indian Art.

Stone Stupa of Bharhut

Two Epochs of Paintings Initial phase: Indian paintings have a magnificent history of more than two thousand years. One of the earliest traces of art can be witnessed in the form of frescoes which were painted on the walls of Ajanta in Western Deccan. Wall painting is one of the oldest styles of painting and they were created up until recent times. The beauty and creativity of historians can be observed in the illustrations of Buddhist and Jain manuscripts which dated back to 1000 A.D. Initially these were produced on palm leaves but as the 14th century was about to end, paper had come to use. The paradigm shift from palm leaves to paper brought in various changes in the styles and compositions in the format and this era continued for more than six hundred years.

Mughal Era: As the Muslim Sultans came to rule a significant part of Northern India, during 15th and 16th century, few Persian and Turkish painters were employed by the Muslim rulers who bought with them their styles of art and architecture. As the time proceeded further, the Mughal courts went on t became great admirers of the beauty of Indian Art. The great ruler Akbar, founder of the Great Mughal Empire, himself was professionally trained in painting from the most celebrated Persian Painter Mir Sayyad Ali. Akbar also appreciated the work of Hindu painters and there are various marks for this love of his. The royals brought in the best talent from different parts of the country in order to build the beautiful architectures of the Fatehpur Sikri. One of the major proofs of beautiful art is the great edifice of Taj Mahal. In the mid-17th century, paintings were more formal and mostly featured court scenes. Mughal painting had its celebrated times up until 18th century.

Painting of Mughal Era

British Era: There is no denial to the fact that the colonial rule had significant impacts on Indian art styles. British Empire went on to establish big art schools in the major cities of India. Various different styles of paintings were introduced like the company style, romanticized (watercolours depicting soft textures and colour tones). The fusion of Indian art with European styles went on to become a lethal combination which created some of the magnificent art and architectural marvels. As the Swadeshi Movement went on to catch pace, Indian artists refused to follow the British styles of paintings. This was the time when artists like Raja Ravi Varma, the creator of magnificent oil paintings of sari-clad women, and others came into existence. Various institutes were set up and different associations came into existence.

Painting of sari-clad women

Contemporary Art: Post India’s independence in 1947, a group of six artists founded the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group in 1952. This institute was established with the intention of expressing India after its independence. The group members disseminated after 1956 but still, they had profoundly influenced the idea of Indian Art. With the dawn of illustrious contemporary art, India wasn’t left untouched with the styles and patterns being offered by this genre of art. Many artists, like Nalini Malani and Subodh Gupta, went on to give new directions and helped in deep rooting contemporary art in the Indian system. The practice of contemporary art is at its peak and just like always, India is still making great contributions towards the arena of global art.