Indian and Southeast Asian Art

INDIA
INVASIONS 
HOMOGENEOUS CULTURE 
BUDDHISTS, HINDUS, MUSLIMS, ETC. 
ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTRIES 

RULERS SUPPORTED ARTS, PATRONS 
COMMISSIONED BUILDINGS, SCULPTURES, MURALS 
ART IS A TEAM EFFORT
ARTISTS TRAINED AS APPRENTICES IN WORKSHOPS 
HIGHLY ORGANIZED 

BUDDHISM 
BUDDHA SOUGHT FULFILLMENT TRAVELING THROUGH THE COUNTRY SIDE
LIFE FULL OF SUFFERING, ENDLESS CYCLE OF BIRTH AND REBIRTH 
BUDDHIST END THIS CYCLE; RELEASE OF THE SOUL 
DEVOTION TO GOOD WORKS, CHARITY

BUDDHIST ICONOGRAPHY 
THE LION, THE WHEEL, THE LOTUS, EMPTY THRONE 

DEPICTIONS OF BUDDHA 
COMPACT POSE, SEATED 
DRAPERY VARIES REGION TO REGION
NO JEWELRY; DISPLAYS REJECTION OF COURTLY LIFE

STUPA
MOUND SHAPED SHRINE
PRAY ACCORDING TO THE SUN'S COURSE
COSMIC SYMBOLISM

HINDU
GOOD LIFE THROUGH PRAYER, GOOD DEEDS, RELIGIOUS DEVOTION; BREAKS CYCLE OF REINCARNATION

HINDU ARCHITECTURE
SEXUAL ALLUSIONS DOMINATE
DIVINE COUPLES; ACCENTUATE CURVES AND LINES OF THE BODY
DANCE POSES COMMON; GEOMETRIC DESIGNS; ORNAMENTED
SUBJECTS SUCH AS LOTUS FLOWERS
IDOLS WITH ESSENCE OF DIVINITY

HINDU TEMPLES
NOT FOR WORSHIP; RESIDENCE OF A GOD
SMALL SPACES FOR INDIVIDUAL WORSHIPPERS
MAJOR TEMPLES FORM TEMPLE CITIES
CITIES ARE NETWORKS OF TEMPLES, SHRINES
TEMPLE EXTERIORS COVERED WITH SCULPTURE
CEREMONIES PREPARED IN ANTECHAMBERS

INDIAN PAINTING
MINIATURES: ILLUSTRATIONS DONE W/ WATER COLOR ON PAPER
PORTRAYS HINDU MYTHS AND LEGENDS
INDIVIDUAL PORTRAITS DONE
FLORAL PATTERNS; COLORFUL AND CROWDED COMPOSITIONS
FIGURES PAINTED WITH DELICACY; SEEM SMALL COMPARED TO THE LANDSCAPE AROUND THEM

CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN PAINTING
HEIGHTENED AND INTENSE USE OF COLOR; BLACK LINES OUTLINE FIGURES; HUMANS HAVE WIDE RANGE OF EMOTION; GESTURES; NATURE SEEN AS FRIENDLY AND RESTORATIVE; WORKS ARE GENERALLY ANONYMOUS

VOCABULARY
BAS-RELIEF: VERY SHALLOW RELIEF SCULPTURE
ASHLAR MASONRY: CAREFULLY CUT STONES; SUPPORT A BUILDING
HORROR VACUI: ENTIRE SURFACE FILLED WITH OBJECTS/DESIGNS/ORNAMENTED IN A CROWDED AND CONGESTED WAY
MITHUNA: MALES AND FEMALES IN A RITUALISTIC/SYMBOL/PHYSICAL SENSE
NIRVANA: REINCARNATION ENDS, SOUL BECOMES ONE W/ SUPREME SPIRIT
MUDRA: SYMBOLIC HAND GESTURE IN HINDU/BUDDHIST ART
SHIVA: HINDU GOD OF CREATION AND DESTRUCTION
STUPA: DOME SHAPED BUDDHIST SHRINE
TORANA: GATEWAY NEAR A STUPA, ELABORATELY CARVED
YAKSHI/YAKSHA: FEMALE AND MALE FIGURES OF FERTILITY IN BUDDHIST AND HINDU ART

SUMMARY
INDIANS UNIFY THE ARTS; PAINTING, SCULPTURE AND ARCHITECTURE REFLECTED IN THE WORKS; SINGLE CREATIVE EXPRESSION IN A MONUMENT
BUDDHIST IMAGES DOMINATE EARLY INDIAN ART; MEDITATIVE STATE
HINDU ART FEATURES A MYRIAD OF GODS
BUDDHIST/HINDU TEMPLES MOUND SHAPED
BOTH CHARACTERIZED BY HORROR VACUI