Course Objectives:

This course is an approach and exploration of visual art forms and their cultural connections to understand the meaning of art. It has been designed for the student with little experience in the visual arts. It takes account of brief studies in art history, and in-depth inquiry into the fundamental of visual arts/elements, media and methods used in a wide range of creative processes.

Course Outcomes:

This course has been conceptualized to address the need of knowing to understand the fundamental of visual arts, techniques, primary approach to look at a work of art and that will develop the ‘ways of seeing’. Very significant part of this is to enhance the aesthetical perspectives and its resonance for understanding the meaning of art.

Course content:

Unit 1: Introduction of Visual Art

1. 1. 1. Definition
      2. History and Development of Visual Art as a discipline
      3. Visual Art in India
   2.  

Unit 2:  Elements of Visual Art

1. 1. 1. Line, Colour, Texture, Shape, Volume, Perspective, Composition, Form, Space, etc.
      2. Use of Mediums: Acrylic, Oil colour, Water colour, Clay Modelling, Found objects, Wood carving, Stone carving, Ceramic, etc.

Unit 3: Meaning of Art

1. 1. 1. Definition
      2. Form, Idea and Beauty
      3. Expression and Experience

Unit 4: Introduction to Western Art

1. 1. 1. Story of Art
      2. Art history and Development of Western Art
      3. Aesthetics

Unit 5: Elements of Indian Art

1. 1. 1. Form and Idea
      2. Shilpa
      3. Structure
      4. Chitra Sutra
      5. Shadanga
      6. Iconography and Iconometry
      7. Appreciation

Unit 6: Ways of Seeing

1. 1. 1. How to look at a painting or work of art
      2. Visual engagement
      3. Visual text and intertextuality
      4. Method and Methodology
      5. Spectator, Museum, Gallery and Public Space

Recommended Readings:

Gombrich, E. H. 9 September 1995. The Story of Art. London: Phaidon Press.

Janson, H.W. 2011. History of Art: The western tradition. London: Prentice Hall.

Stangos, Nikos. 2006. Concept of Modern Art: From Fauvism to Postmodernism. London:  Thames & Hudson Ltd. 

Preziosi, Donald. 2009. The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology. New York:  Oxford University Press.

Bryson, Norman.1 January 1991. Visual Theory: Painting and Interpretation. New York: HarparCollins Publishers.

Bryson, Norman. 1994. Visual Culture: Images and Interpretations. London: Wesleyan University Press.

Read, Herbert. 2017. The Meaning of Art. London: Faber and Faber.

Berger, John. 1990. Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books.

Fry, Roger. 1932. The Arts of Painting and Sculpture. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd.

Gupta, S.P. & Shashi Prabha Asthana . 2007. Elements of Indian Art: Including Temple Architecture, Iconography, and Iconometry. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. 

Course Objectives:

This course is an exploration to understand the formal and stylistic aspects of artworks which are often signified largely by the periods and location (the cultural affinity) in which they were created. In this paper, we will study art through its evolution in time and place in the India. Students will develop the tools what need to identify the major formal and stylistic trends punctuating the timeline of Indian art history and archaeology of knowledge. This approach will facilitate us to see the relationship between works of art and their specific social-historical contexts and textual meanings. The unit will also tell a certain continuum that runs through Indian art from Ancient to modern times.

Course Outcomes:

This course has been conceptualized to address the historical, religious or environmental information and context that surrounds a particular work of art or a monument which helps students to understand the work’s meaning and critical point of view about a work of art concerning its aesthetic or cultural value.

Course content:

Unit 1: Early Indian Art

1. 1. 1. Art in the old stone Age
      2. Indus Valley Civilisation
      3. The Age of the Rig Veda
      4. The later Vedic Phase
2.  

Unit 2 : Art of the Early Dynasties

1. 1. 1. The Maurya Period (ca. 323 to 185 B.C.)
      2. The Sunga Period and Related Development (ca. Second century to first century B.C)
      3. The Regional Development (ca. late first century B.C. through first century A.D.)
      4. The Saka and Parthian Kingdoms in the Indic Sphere (ca. First century B.C. to Mid century A.D.)
      5. The Northwest and Northern Regions under the Kusanas (ca. late first century to third century A.D.)
      6. The Regional Developments in the Deccan (ca. Second and third century)

Unit 3: Art of the Middle Period

1. 1. 1. The Gupta Period (Fourth to Sixth Centuries)
      2. Buddhist Art and Architecture (Fifth through Seventh Centuries)
      3. Hindu Rock-cut Architecture of the Deccan
      4. Southern Developments under the Pallavas and the Pandyas
      5. The early western Calukya and related Schools of the Deccan
      6. Hindu Rock-Cut Architecture of the western Deccan

Unit 4:   Art of later Northern Schools

1. 1. 1. Art of Adjacent Regions: Western Himalayan Foothills and Western Tibetan cultural regions.
      2. Buddhist Art, Jain Art and Hindu Art in Assam (North-eastern regions), Bengal and Bihar under Pala and Sena.
      3. Hindu and Buddhist Art and Architecture of Orissa.
      4. North Central and North-western India: The Art of the Rajput Clans.

Unit 5: Later schools of the Deccan and the South

1. 1. 1. The Cola and related Schools of South (mid-Ninth to Thirteenth Century).
      2. Later Deccan Schools
      3. The Vijayanagar Period
      4. The Nayaka Period

Unit 6:  Early Modern  and Modern

1. 1. 1. Mughal Art
      2. British Period
      3. Bengal School of Art
      4. Baroda School of Art
      5. Patna School of Art
      6. Other Schools of Art
      7. Contemporary Art

Unit 7: Contextual History of Indian Art

1. 1. 1. Folk and Tribal Art
      2. Contextual Modernism

Unit 8: Art Museums of India

1. 1. 1. Major Cities
      2. Archaeological Museums
      3. Modern Art Museums
      4. Other Museums

Recommended Readings:

Gombrich, E. H. 9 September 1995. The Story of Art. London: Phaidon Press.

Janson, H.W. 2011. History of Art: The western tradition. London: Prentice Hall.

Stangos, Nikos. 2006. Concept of Modern Art: From Fauvism to Postmodernism. London:  Thames & Hudson Ltd. 

Preziosi, Donald. 2009. The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology. New York:  Oxford University Press.

Bryson, Norman.1 January 1991. Visual Theory: Painting and Interpretation. New York: HarparCollins Publishers.

Bryson, Norman. 1994. Visual Culture: Images and Interpretations. London: Wesleyan University Press.

Read, Herbert. 2017. The Meaning of Art. London: Faber and Faber.

Berger, John. 1990. Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books.

Fry, Roger. 1932. The Arts of Painting and Sculpture. London: Victor Gollancz Ltd.

Gupta, S.P. & Shashi Prabha Asthana . 2007. Elements of Indian Art: Including Temple Architecture, Iconography, and Iconometry. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. 

Course Objectives:

This course aims at exposing students to a range of aesthetic theories and visual culture in the Indian traditions. It will propose to show the practical roots of these theories by illustrating their significances in diverse art forms. The course will investigate into the philosophical foundations of Indian aesthetic traditions from theoretical and practical aspects. And it is interdisciplinary to suit the development of academic life in a complex twenty first century context.

Course Outcomes:

This course goal is to create a critical mental framework which will make it possible for students to engage in art appreciation. Thus, this course will help academicians, students, art critics, artists and even lay persons all of who have an interest in art.

Course content:

Unit 1: Aesthetic

1. 1. 1. 1. The concept of Aesthetic
         2. The nature of Aesthetic and its relation to philosophy in Indian culture and tradition

Unit 2: The concept of Rasa

1. 1. 1. 1. Bharata’s Natya Shastra and its Critics
         2. Abhinavagupta’s Rasa Siddhanta

Unit 3: The concept of Dhvani

1. 1. 1. 1. Anandavardana’s Dhanyalok
         2. Its extension to music, dance, Visual forms and drama

Unit 4: Vishnudharmottara Purana (Chitrasutra)

Unit 5: Introduction to Theatre Studies

1. 1. 1. 1. Approach and Making
         2. Genres
         3. Traditional forms of Drama

Unit 6: Introduction to Film Studies

1. 1. 1. 1. Approach and Making
         2. Genres
         3. Art film and Commercial film

Recommended Readings:

Hiriyanna, M. 1997.  Art Experience. New Delhi: Manohar Publisher & Distributor.

Barlingay, Sheodas  Surendra . 2007. A Modern Introduction to Indian Aesthetic Theory. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld.

Vatsyayan, Kapila. 2016. Traditional Indian Theatre: Multiple Streams. New Delhi: National Book Trust India.

Ahuja, Chaman. 2012. Contemporary Theatre of India: An Overview. Delhi: National Book Trust India.

Prakash, Shiva H.S. 2007. Incredible India: Traditional Theatres. New Delhi: Wisdom Tree.

Lal, Ananda, (ed). 2004. The Oxford Companion to Indian Theatre. Michigan: Oxford University Press.

Bhatia, Nandi, (ed).2009. Modern Indian Theatre: A Reader. UK: Oxford University Press.

Bordwell, David & Thompson, Kristin .2008. Film Art: An Introduction. New York: McGraw Hill.

Butler, Andrew. 2012. Film Studies. UK: Oldcastle Books.

Raghavendra, M.K. 2020. Philosophical Issues in Indian Cinema: Approximate Terms and Concepts. UK. Routledge.

Chakravarty, S. Sumita. 2011. National Identity in Indian Popular Cinema, 1947-1987. US: University of Texas Press.

Chakrabarti, Arindam. 2016. Indian Aesthetics and the Philosophy of Art. UK: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Chandran, Mini & V. S. Sreenath. 2021.  An Introduction to Indian Aesthetics: History, Theory, and Theoreticians. UK: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Course objective:

In this unit, students will write a final project. This may seem odd, but there is good reason for it! Students have all the skills, and a bit of practice with each skill, but now you will put them all together in one project. This will solidify your skills and help you to appreciate the art history and art forms unit all the better!

Course outcomes:

This practice will enhance students’ understanding of the subjects at one contextualised form by writing the project on selective topic on art/ visual culture of India and any topic related to the discipline. For further juncture of pursuing this discipline, it will help them to get into the subject more efficiently and polemically.

Students are free to choose their subject for this final project. For writing the project students will get all kinds of guidance from the expert of the subject.

 Submission of Project:

• • • Students should submit the project work in end of the week of six month.
    • Project should be submitted through the online submission by email to talukdarphanindra84@gmail.com
    • The Project should show the sufficient evidence of research and must be unpublished previously.
    • All text must be in font style of Times New Roman, size: 12 and submitted only in PDF format.
    • The project should follow the MLA style manual. The project must not exceed 120 pages, including tables and references.
    • The project should be well-organized in the sequence of Introduction, Material and Methods, Findings and Results, Interpretation and Discussion, Conclusion and References.

The title page should include:

• • • Title of the project
    • Name of the student and institution name (Pragjyotish Centre for Cultural Research
    • Roll Number of the student, and Year
    • All quoted, reproduced material should be clearly referenced.
    • Set page size to A4.
    • Margins: Top and bottom – 2.54cm; left and right – 2.54cm (Microsoft Word “Normal”).
    • Tables should be created within a Microsoft Word document, should fit onto one A4 page and should be numbered and captioned below the table, centre-aligned. Please do not insert tables as images and ensure that all tables are referenced at least once in the main body of the text.
    • All figures and images must be inserted in a JPEG image format, within the page margins, and be centered. Do not insert loose objects such as arrows, lines or text boxes. Please include figure number and caption below the figure (Fig. 1: Caption), centre aligned. Please ensure that all figures are referenced at least once in the main body of the text.
    • Please list the figures, plates, maps and tables and include the callouts by number (for example: Fig. 1,2,3…; Plate 1,2,3…, Map 1,2,3…, and Table 1,2,3…) of all these in the text accordingly. Please give the required copyright credits.
    • Use British English spelling and punctuation throughout the manuscript. If you are quoting previously published materials, then please quote these as in the original.
    • Words in local language must be italicised and the meaning (or an explanation) should be given in bracket after each of these words in the first instance.
    • References should be single-spaced. Each reference should be indented after the first line with a 1-cm hanging indent.

References:

Said, Edward W.  Culture and Imperialism. Knopf, 1994.

Agrawal, D.P. The Archaeology of India. London: Curzon Press, 1982.

Bagchi, Alaknanda. “Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta Devi’s Bashai Tudu.” Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature, vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

Misra, V.N. and P. Bellwood (eds). Recent Advances in Indo-Pacific Prehistory. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co, 1985.

Paddayya, K. Theoretical Archaeology – A Review, In Recent Advances in Indian Archaeology – Proceedings of the Seminar held in Poona in 1983, eds. S.B. Deo and K. Paddayya, 6-22. Poona: Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, 1985.

• • • Assignments
    • MCQ Tests
    • Classroom contribution