Transcript Mughal architectural palace

Art of India
Ch. 4.2
Indus Valley Civilization 2500 BC-1500 BC
• The earliest Indian
culture
• Ended 1500 BC
• Located in Modern
Pakistan
• Used to stamp seals on official
documents.
• Some of the earliest evidence of
the use of symbols and script in
India
• Approximately 400 different
signs have been catalogued,
though despite scholarly efforts
for nearly 80 years, it has yet to
be deciphered.
• On most of these examples we
can see the script above the
animals.
• The animals are often partly
human with animal features.
Seals
from Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan
c. 3000 B.C.E.
steatite
each approximately 1 3/8 x 1 3/8 in.
The Mauryan Era 322 BC-185 BC
• Or known as the
Ganges civilization.
• During the era hymns
called The Vedas were
written.
• This marked the
beginning of
Hinduism.
• Until In the 4th century
BC India was ruled by
the Maurya family and
King Asoka and he was
greatly influenced by
Buddhism.
• Built by King Asoka
• Symbol of India
• The base is on the Indian
Flag
• Column inscribed with
Buddhist teachings.
Asoka Capital
•Buddhist
Architecture
•Burial Mound
•Contained relics of
the Buddha’s body
•Relief carvings on
the walls and
gateway allowed
believers on
pilgrimages to read
Buddhist teachings
•The small rail at the
top is called the
Harmika.
•It is topped with
stylized umbrellas
that symbolize the 33
higher heavens of
Mahayana Buddhism.
Great Stupa or Stupa 1 (in the book)
Sanchi, India
2nd century BC-1st century AD
The Gandhara Era 78AD-250AD
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Greek armies under Alexander made conquests
in Northern India and Pakistan after 326 BC.
Therefore, the first significant Buddhist
Sculpture had a Greek influence.
The first images of Buddha appeared in the
Hellenistic kingdoms of Bactria and Gandhara.
The sculptures were based on Greek sculptural
methods and aesthetics.
The sculptures had Western facial and body
types.
The colossal head of Buddha made of stucco
shows a Greek style face, except for the half
closed treatment of the eyes.
The hair is formed in style similar to Greek
gigues of Apollo.
However distinct Buddhist motifs were
developed to show Buddhist scared nature.
Elongated earlobes, the ushnisha coil of hair
protruding form the back of the head, and the
third eye, or urna which symbolized his
omniscience. Under the gandarea
The goddess Hera. Colossal stone head from
the cult-statue of Hera, in the Heraion of
Olympia. H. 52 cm, 580 BC. Greek art.
Archaeological Museum of Olympia Greece
The Gandhara Era
• Under the Gandhara school of art, the first
Indian temples were cut into hillsides of live
rock.
The Gupta Era 320-600 AD
• Golden Age of Buddhist
Indian Art.
• Drama, Literature, painting
, sculpture and
architecture flourished.
• Elaborate cave temples
mingled both Buddhist and
Hindu designs.
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Gupta Era cont’d
Hinduism experience a revival towards the end of the Gupta era.
Multistoried roofs
Square towers
Symmetrical
The building complex I meant to represent order in the universe.
Pathways are provided for worshipers and their rituals.
Images of Nandi, the bull in the foreground, symbolize the god Siva.
Temple at Mallapuram
The Gopura
• Massive towered
gateways
• Placed at the entrances
to the temple complexes
• Dravidian Style
• Each level on the
pyramidal shaped tower
is filled with sculptural
and painted panels from
Temple at Mallapuram
Hindu mythology.
Sanchi, India
2nd century BC-1st century AD
The Mughal Period
• Bronze casting was
practiced by the Chola
(another Medieval
kingdom)
The Mughal Period
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Emperor Akbar reunited the divided medieval kingdom
into the Mughal Empire.
Many Hindu temples were destroyed during the Mughal
period.
They were replaced with Mosques and palaces.
They bought the Persian style with them.
Mosaics of stone and ceramic decorated the floors and
walls in arabesque patterns of leave, flowers and
geometric motifs
Typical of this era was the production of fine small objects
in enamel, mother of pearl, glass or metalwork.
The Taj Mahal
• Took 18 years to
build
• Finished in 1648.
• Built by Shah Jahan
to memorialize his
beloved wife.
• Took 2000 workers