Early Indian Art Terms

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Indus Valley Civilization

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Also know as Harappan and/or Dravidian culture

Shiva is believed to by some to have evolved from ancient Dravidian beliefs

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Plan

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Is the graphic representation of the layout of a Building or a Site

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Animism

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Belief in nature spirits / deities

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Anthropomorphic

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Having human form or characteristics

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motif

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A distinct design element

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Iconography

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The use of signs and symbols to identify a subject in art; the study of signs and symbols in art

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Siva (shiva)

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3rd member of the hindu trinity, emblematic of both destruction and procreative power, believed by some to have evolved from ancient Dravidian beliefs

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Naturalism / Naturalistic

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adhering as closely as possible to the appearance of the natural world

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Aryan Invasion

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c. 1500 - 1200 BC

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Vedas

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Literary texts of the Aryans; term applied to the 4 religious books containing the sacred knowledge for the performance of Brahmanic priestly ritual

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Epics

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The Ramayana and Mahabharata, Aryan-Vedic literary texts

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Caste system

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Brahman

Kshatriya

Vaisya

Shurdra

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Mauryan Empire

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Ashoka ( ruler. 272 - 232 BC )

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Capital

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Decorative top of column

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Column

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in architecture, a cylindrical, vertical support member in a Post and Lintel system of construction

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Post and Lintel

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A type of architectural construction in which two vertical members (Post) and support horizontal members (Lintels)

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Chakravartin

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" The Universal King "

title adopted by King Ashoka

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Stupa

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Buddhist relic mound

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Aniconic

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Represented as a symbol rather than as a representational likeness

✞ like a cross symbol for Christ

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Axis mundi

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" world axis "

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Torana

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In Indian architecture, a monumental gate

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Vedika

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Railing, outer wall or fence surrounding a sacred structure, such as a stupa

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Jataka

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" Birth stories ". tales of previous incarnations of the Buddha in either human or animal form

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Narrative

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Art that tells a story

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Yaksha (male)

Yakshi (female)

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Dravidian nature spirits associated with fertility

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Mithuna

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" loving couple "

motif consisting of a pair of male and female figures, often in an amorous attitude; the motif is believed to bring fertility, good luck, protection, and is believed to derive from ancient Dravidian art and customs; related to yaksha and yakshi figures.

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Relief

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In sculpture, figures projecting from a background of which they are apart.

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Freestanding sculpture

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Sculpture in the round.

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Facade

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In architecture, the principal face(s) of a structure

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Arch

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A curved structural member that spans an opening and is generally composed of wedge-shaped blocks (voussoirs) that transmit the downward pressure laterally.

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Chaitya or Caitya arch

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A distinctive arch form in Indian architecture, the double carved or pointed arch.

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( Chaitya or ) Caitya

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Sanctuary or shrine

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Indus / Harappan Time

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2300 - 1750 BC

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Hierarchical scale

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To the use of scale relation to the subject in art

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Soma

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Ritual drug Brahman used made of milk and mushrooms

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Samasara / Reincarnation

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Transmigration of the soul out of the body

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Heiresses

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Against the existing order

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Ahimsa

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No Violence

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Bhakti

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Devotional Worship, religious walking around

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Yogi

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Wise man

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Enlightenment

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Total understanding

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Brahman

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Priestley Caste - sacrifices- Mouth of Purusa

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Kshratria

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Warrior Caste - Warrior/King/Ruler - Arms of Purusa

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Vaishya

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Merchants Caste - Traders/Artist/Travlers - Thighs of Purusa

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Shudura

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"That which touches the ground" Caste - Servants/unclean jobs - Feet of Pursua

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Kushan Dynasty

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Ruled from central Asia to northern India from the 1st century - 5th century AD.

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Hinayana

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"Small vehicle" or "lesser vehicle". Early Buddhism, with emphasis on the doctrine, rather than on the worship of the buddha. (Aka Theravade Buddhism.)

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Mahayana

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"Great vehicle". Later theistic form of Buddhism, with emphasis on divine Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. (Buddha was a God)

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Bodhisattva

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In Mahayana Buddhism, a being who, although capable of attaining Buddha-hood, renounces this goal in favor of acting as a ministering angel to humanity. A "Buddha before Enlightenment," the Bodhisattva delays his/her own enlightenment in order to teach others in the path of Buddhism.

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Sutra

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Buddhist Text

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Urna

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Circle between the eyebrows described in the sutras, found in images of the Buddha, signifying superhuman consciousness.

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Ushnisha

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Cranial cap or protuberance, described in the sutras, found in images of the buddha, signifying super intelligence.

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Mudra

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Mystic, ritual gesture of the hands of the deities, signifying various actions or powers

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Bhakti

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Devotional worship

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Incising

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Cutting into a surface with a sharp instrument; a method of decoration thus produced

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Modeling 2)

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2) The sharping of three-dimensional forms in a soft material

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Lingam

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Phallic symbol / emblem of shiva

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Hindu Trinity

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Brahman, Vishnu, Shiva

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Grupta Dynasty

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Chandragupta I , Samudragupta "son"

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Avatar

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"Descent". Term usually applied to one of the descents or incarnations of Vishnu, in animal or human form in each of the great cycles of time. (kalpas)

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Kalpa

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An incalculable cycle of time, sometimes described as a day of Brahma. At the close of each day or kalpa, the world was destroyed by Shiva, and at the dawn of the next, it's recreated with the rebirth of Brahma, from the navel of Vishnu

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Sastra

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A text or manual devoted to describing the rules and principles of a craft, i.e., architecture, painting or sculpture

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Apsara

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Heavenly spirits.

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Corbel

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Corbel arch and Corbel vault

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Axial / Axial Plan

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In Architecture, a plan in which the parts of the building are organized longitudinally, along a given axis; results in a definite directional thrust or orientation of the structure

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Nave

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The part of a building in the form of a large, central aisle, having an axial orientation

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Apse

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A recess, usually singular and semicircular, at the end of a nave; the terminus of a nave

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Mandala

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Magical diagram of Buddhist hierarchy, or the imagined shape of the cosmos; in Hinduism and Buddhism, a cosmic diagram or a magical, geometric symbol of the cosmos

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Mandapa

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A porch in Indian temple architecture, also a pillared assembly hall, in Hindu temple

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Vishnudharmottaram

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A principle source of treatise for defining the techniques and the aesthetics of Indian painting

(see class notes for details)

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Kama Sutra

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A literary work dealing with matters of the aesthetices of sex and love, which also references to the aesthetics of painting.

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Perspective

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In painting and other graphic arts, a formula for representation of three-dimensionality on a two-dimensional surface.

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Modeling 1)

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1) The gradations of light and shade, reflected from the surfaces of matter in space, or the illusion of such gradations produced by alterations of value in a drawing or painting.

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Contour

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A visible border of mass in space; a line that creates the illusion of mass and volume in space.

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Overlap

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The placement of forms in a composition so that it appears as if one form is in from another, a technique of composition to indicate depth or recession in space.

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Portal

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An entryway into temple.

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Frieze

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Horizontal band of relief sculpture.

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Sakti

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In later Hinduism, the female energy or principle of each god.

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Durga / Kali

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Consort of shiva in her terrible form.

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Cella

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An enclosed chamber; the inner room of a temple.

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Garba griha

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Sanctuary or inner, sacred room of Hindu temple; literally "womb place".

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Sikhara

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Spire or tower on a hindu temple.

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Kaliasa

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Sacred mountain where Shiva dwells.

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Devi

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Goddess.

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Deva

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God.

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Lost wax process

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(or cire perdue) a process for casting metal from a wax mold.