Indian Art

by Roy C. Craven

The grave, sensuous, and infinitely varied arts of India have long been admired in the West. This engaging book tells the story clearly and vividly from the first, still mysterious, beginnings in the Indus valley, through the great masterpieces of Buddhist and Hindu art to the coming of Islam, the eclectic culture of the Mughal court, and the golden age of miniature painting. Much of Indian art is immediately accessible to the outsider, but much is also enigmatic, needing interpretation and guidance before it can be enjoyed in the strange pantheon of the Hindu gods, the subtle insights of Buddhist mysticism, or the complex symbolism of the miniatures. For this edition, the late Professor Craven thoroughly revised the text and incorporated works by contemporary artists, linking their achievements to the traditions of Indian art. A new glossary and time line are also included.

Genres: Art, History, India, Nonfiction, Art History, Cultural, Architecture

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Mary Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is best read with a course or something because it claims to be for absolute beginners and yet I constantly found that it assumes that you know a lot of information about Indian history already. That doesn’t make it bad at all, it is quite informative, but I can’t help but feel that I didn’t get the most out of it.

[E L K Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is very soft but also deep dive into rich Indian history and architecture. I would not say it's easy or gentle read. it's definitely good to follow it up by different read about history. Visual art is not the main aim of the book, although it does get to it. You will learn a lot, though, and the language is very easy to read.

[Monica St. Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book to start with for absolute beginners -- I read it to go along with a course I was taking (along with Indian Art), and it really helped me to understand what the instructor was talking about. It's obviously a little bit dated and, unfortunately, most of the illustrations are black and white. That was fine for me, because I had the time and inclination to look things up on Wikipedia as I went, but I don't think I'd recommend this one for people who want something relaxing. It was more like studying, which suited my purposes really well.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pros:
Very readable. All basic terms are well-defined in the text, even to the extend of avoiding the nuances of many of them (So pro and con).

Cons:
Very judgmental. The authors speak with authority even though many of the works can/should be open to interpretation beyond the material presented. Pictures aren't that great for the most part.

Overall, not bad if you want a quick crash course or to brush-up on terms and major ideas/time periods. Not so great if you want to really dive into the subject.

[Nama'Dejigas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel the first two thirds of this book would appeal to archaeologists more than it did to me though it did set out a good deal of the religious history of India. I enjoyed the section on paintings much more; I was struck by how the development of painting seemed to have preceded European modern art by 150 years! I now wish to explore Indian painting (and photography) further.

[k · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very concise and easy to follow. Fantastic for beginners and students. A good study guide, although a bit outdated. I flip through this book before visiting the Indian art exhibits at my local museum. Makes my visit much more enjoyable :)

[Jaime Mostany Aranoa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caps 6 y 7

[Martin Ridgway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This feels fairly old-fashioned in approach. Styles, schools, progress, influence - less social context.
Of course, it has to pack a lot of material into 250 pages.

[Jeff]

If you want to have a quick review of the highlights of Indian art, this book is good at hitting the high points. On a certain level, I suspect they gathered together a lot of illustrations, and created their texts around the images; at least, that's how the book feels when I read it. It does not claim to be comprehensive, and indeed, it kind of leaps through the 16th to 20th centuries in a big hurry. On the other hand, my compliments on recognizing that Buddhism and Hinduism kind of evolved in parallel. The glossary and timeline at the end of the book are extremely useful.

[Bipul · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title says, it is a concise history. Very superficially covered. Particularly disappointing is the absence of Natraja, an icon of Shiva and an inspiration for classical Indian dance. However, I recommend this book or people having no background in Indian art and history. It is a good starting point for them.

[Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to understand and rather informative. I love a book with a good index and glossary (which was essential for knowing the terms for Indian art). I wish more historical and religious background had been provided.

[Hubert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly a knowledgeable author and scholar, though a bit dry at times. Focuses on very early periods of Indian art. Good bibliography.

[Raj Sha]

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