Elements of Indian Art: Including Temple Architecture, Iconography and Iconometry

If anyone working on Iconography may go for this. It also speaks about temple architecture tooThe best book for beginners

This is a handy introduction to the many facets of Indian art; and covers its progression from the rock art of Bhimbetka and the mother goddess figurines of the Sindhu-Saraswati civilization, to various temple building styles (Nagara, Dravida, Vesara and Orissan) and the distinct skills and contributions of major Indian dynasties.An important point it makes, is the difference between Indian art and Western; the need to understand Hindu philosophy and thought in order to appreciate its art, is underscored. For instance,“From top to bottom, the Hindu temple seeks to represent everything of which the cosmic world, the entire universe, is composed; that is why, on the walls of a Hindu temple, one can see representations of men, women, animals, birds, rivers, flowers, palaces, villages etc. It includes even copulation amongst men and women and among animals, since it is through this, that creation takes place”.Iconography is covered in detail; including the classification of images into chala and achala (mobile and stationary), the different Mudras (Hasta, Pada and Sharira), Asanas, Mukutas (hair-dos/head gear), Abhushana (ornaments) and Vahanas (mounts). However, I was disappointed that Devas like Indra, Varuna, Vayu etc. are ignored. Only the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the divine feminine are covered, along with Buddha and Jaina icons.Iconometry, or the rule of proportion, is covered in brief.A very interesting section is the impact of Indian art beyond Indian frontiers. Booming trade and cultural exchanges from India across South Asia led to the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism, and their art and thought; which flowered as individual art styles in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. The major examples in each location have been covered under this sectionOne little quibble I have is that the pictures and illustrations are black and white rather than in colour.In summary, a very useful reference book that sketches out the broad contours of the elements of Indian art

This book is for those who want to start their quest to delve deeper into Indian art. One gets to know which specific area to look for. It is a good read and the author has made the narrative seamless.

have good information about Indian arts and elements.

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Best book for beginners and intermediates in Indian art.

Great read for anyone interested to know more about Indian art. Full of pictures.

very good book for art history

Got this book to start understanding Indian Iconography. The book is heavily illustrated with examples and is an excellent book if you want to give move depth and understanding to your temple visits and looking at Dharmic architecture in India.The seller packed the book very well and I got the book in excellent condition.

Well packed book and on time. Very good and dependable.