What qualifies as Hindu art?

[DJDanny]

I was just wondering what qualifies Hindu art as such? Is it the symbols it employs, is it the artist, or something else?

[SethDrebitko]

I would imagine any art which exemplifies, or pays tribute to one of the many faces of God. Use of religious imagery, and deities would certainly be a plus. Even exemplifying core values.

[sambya]

im not sure what you mean by hindu art . i know of no such thing . but there is one thing as indian art which has influences of buddhism , jainism , vedic brahminism and local ethnic art .

if you talk of classical indian art refer to the cave paintings of ajanta , stone carvings of ellora , konark and khajuraho , traditional temple architecture etc .

[saidevo]

Art, basically is a sensual expression of a mental attitude. The artist strives to bring out what is in his/her mind through the five senses and the viewers through their own senses try to get at the artist's attitude.

Good art rises above sensuality and appeals aesthetically. Art that transcends sensuality and aesthetics and appeals to/reminds of spirituality is certainly the highest form of art. Hindu art is such an expression of spirituality through the medium of aesthetics and sensuality.

Take the mudrAs--hand movements, and aDavus--foot movements, of the dance bharatanAtyam for example. The classical attire and the aesthetically disciplined movements of a woman artiste who peforms the dance are designed to reveal only so much of her sensual endowments as appeals to the higher perceptions of aesthetics and spirituality. A famous Tamil fiction writer described bharatanAtyam as 'basically erotic' in nature! Whereas most Hindus would readily subscribe to it as 'exotic', and many of them as 'esoteric'. Therein lies the essence of the Hindu Art.

[brahman]

I was just wondering what qualifies Hindu art as such? Is it the symbols it employs, is it the artist, or something else?




"The extant remains of Indian art cover a period of more than two thousand years. During this time many schools of thought have flourished and decayed, invaders of many races have poured into India and contributed to the infinite variety of her intellectual resources; countless dynasties have ruled and passed away. But just as through all Indian schools of thought there runs like a golden thread the fundamental idealism of the Upanishads, the Vedanta, so in all Indian art there is a unity that underlies all its bewildering variety."

Dr. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (1877-1947) scholar and art historian and late curator of Boston Museum

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