Upload
dipisha-chauhan
View
1.788
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Hindu Art and
Architecture
Sarah Modi, Sarah Mupo, Katie Murphy, Mary Petersen
IB World Religions: Blue 4
Art
“The man who knows nothing of music,
literature, or art is no better than a beast.”
•Warning of ancient Hindu wisdom
•Hindus think highly of art
•Art = the key to salvation of the ultimate release sought by all good Hindus
•Art is a unity of many forms and artistic experiences very holistic
Yoga
•Indian art in its purest form
•A disciplined style of self-restraint and worship
•India’s oldest indigenous “science”
•spiritual exercise leading to the beatific vision
-also a psychological process of drawing oneself into the dynamics which control the universe
-and to ready oneself for all kinds of mental and physical activity
Yoga and Artists
• give the craftsman his creative skill
• inspire the artist, poet, and musician who sought spiritual enlightenment
The Art• Hindu/ Indian artists have celebrated/
immortalized the beauty of human bodies in bronze and stone for more than 5,000 yrs
• Art is most often associated with Hindu religion and philosophy
-difficult to appreciate fully unless one has knowledge of Hindu ideals
-religious urge, a looking beyond -attempt to bring down the beauty of
the things above
Art Con’t• Art is essentially idealistic, mystic,
symbolic, and transcendental - Mere bodily strength and
mundane perfections of form are never glorified in Indian art.
• Artist is both priest and poet • Only by meditating on the Ultimate
Perfection could the artist perceive the beauty of the Godhead
•Hindu poetry, art, and mythology, depict the sublime
nature of the Himalayas-regarded as special revelation of divine beauty -seen as fitting shrine for all the gods
The Himalayas
• Hindu philosophy recognizes the impossibility of human art capturing the form of God
• Creates in Indian painting and sculpture a symbolical representation of milder, humanized (but still superhuman), divine appearances which mortal eyes can bear
Philosophy of Art
Purpose of Art• To suggest divine attributes to Indian
people is the purpose of Hindu art
• True Indian art is stripped of the superfluities and vulgarities which delight the uneducated eye
- believe that Hindu art requires a higher degree of artistic understanding
Bhakti• the moving spirit of
all great religious art
• keeps Indian art alive
• Indians believe lack of it Bhakti is what makes modern Western art so lifeless
Ganesha• the Lord of success
and destroyer of evils and obstacles
• worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth
• one of the five prime Hindu deities
Shiva• The “Great God” of
yogic practice
• Visually represented as “King of Dance”
• most remarkable single symbol of divine powers
The Lotus
Brahma on the lotus flower which sprang from Vishnu’s naval
•Even in earliest art, lotus is fashioned as a seat or as a pedestal on which divine or sacred beings rest in a sitting or standing posture
•Symbol of divinity of major Hindu gods
Snakes• important images in
Hindu art
• Sacred to Hindus
• seen as protectors and often featured in Hindu art as wrapped around a god
Architecture
Overview• Not meant for
congregational worship
• Concentrate on religious and spiritual
• Made from rock• Conservative
Overview Cont’d• Vimana• Shikhara • Garba-griba• Sanctum
sanctorum• Mandapa • Ardh-mandapa• Mandala
Temple Architecture• Religious
– Astronomy – Sacred geometry
• Representation of macrocosm and microcosm
• Has an inner sanctum: garba girha• Sanctum crowned by a shikara
– Distinguishes the Nagra and Dravida styles
North Indian Styles
North Indian Styles• Nagara style• From Himalayas to the Deccan• Shikhara – beehive shaped
– Capotas and gavakas– amalaka
• Shrine is square at center• Bell-shaped structure on main
shrine
Lingaraja Temple
Rajarani Temple
Jagannath Temple
South Indian Styles
South Indian Style• Dravida Style• Shikhara – pyramid shaped• Have different: ground plan;
position of stone deities; decorative elements
• Walls around whole building• Different types: Pallava, Chola,
Pandya, Vijayanagar, Nayak
Pallava – Shore Temple
Chola - Brihdiswa
ra Temple
Pandya - Chidambaram
Nayak – Rameswaram Temple
Historical Development
• The earliest worship centers– Abu Simpbel– Elephanta– Ellora
• Horse shoe shaped window• Originally inspired by the Buddhist
Stupa• The Great Stupa
Historical Development cont’d
• The Stupa– Addition to the temple from Buddism
• Shilpa Shastra– Point of reference for architects
• Hindu temples– Large temples vs. mandirs:
Historical Development cont’d
• Shwe Dagon temple • Temples Today
– Fundamentally the same as the 6th century
– Richly decorated
Works Cited"Art and Architecture" http://hinduism.iskcon.com/index.htm. The Heart of
Hinduism Project. 2004. 1 section. 3 Nov 2006. ISKCON Educational Services <http://hinduism.iskcon.com/lifestyle/805.htm>
"Architectural Mosaic" http://www.hinduonline.com/. The Hindu. 12 May 2002. 5 sections. 2002 1 Nov 2006 <http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2002/05/12/stories/2002051200450800.htm>
Batchelor, Anthony. “Indian Temple Architecture.” TempleNet. 13 Nov. 2006. <http://www.indiantemples.com/temparc.html>
“Ganesha: The Elephant God.” About. 13 November 2006. <http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa083000a.htm>.
Havell, Ernest Binfield. The Art heritage of India. Dutton, 1911.
Hindu Architecture. Indiasite.com. 10 November 2006. <http://www.indiasite.com/architecture/hindu.html>.
Works Cited Con’t"Hindu Architecture" 10 Aug 2004, 7 paragraphs. Project India. 11 Nov 2006 <
http://www.scholars.nus.edu.sg/student_work/global_programme/indiaweb/PI2/hindu_architecture.html>.
Hindu Art. 15 August 2006. Hindu Wisdom. 13 November 2006. <http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Hindu_Art.htm#h%20i%20n%20d%20u%20%20%20%20a%20r%20t>.
Hindu Temple Architecture. Answers Corporation. 15 November 2006. <http://www.answers.com/topic/hindu-temple-architecture>.
Kumar, Nitin. “The Hindu Temple: Where Man Becomes God.” May 2006. Exotic India. 12 Nov. 2006. <http://www.exoticindiaart.com/read/hindu_temple.htm>.
Nangia, Ashish. “Poetry in Stone: Crystallization of the Hindu Temple.” 15 Nov. 2001. Boloji.com. 13 Nov. 2006. <http://www.boloji.com/architecture/00006.htm>.
Temples. Indian Heritage. 10 Nov. 2006. <http://www.saigan.com/heritage/tindex.html>.