PDA

View Full Version : Indian Art



Eastern Mind
07 December 2010, 01:40 PM
Vannakkam: I'm always amazed by the number of different pictures of Ganesha there are. There are some very impressive art form for me. One is the paintings, another is the antiquity of brass casting used to make brass (or 5 metal) castings, and in particular, Nataraja. The process first involves carving and shaping in wax, then making a plaster mold, melting out the wax, and finally pouring in the metal. I don't know how old this process was to the artisans but lets say its fairly old. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ftPK8tBqs

Yet another is stone work with chisels. Its so time consuming but the end result is so elegant. Temples are really just one very large sculpture?

But for me, the most amazing thing, with rare exceptions, is that none of these art pieces have an artist's signature on them. This is in sharp contrast to European art, where the artist has to let everyone know who he is, either for profit or prestige.

Whereas the Hindu does it selflessly for God, and has no reason for accolade. You can't look at the bottom right hand corner and see who did it. That demonstrates such a lack of ego. There is no "Mommy, (or Everyone,) look at what I made" syndrome.

In order to see some of which I speak, you just have to search on Hindu Art.

Perhaps others can post some of their favorites, or links.

Here is one of my favorites: http://www.flickr.com/photos/theadventuresofbearandbutterfly/3635030137/

Aum Namasivaya

Arjuni
07 December 2010, 11:22 PM
Vannakkam, EM,

That is a wonderful statue of Lord Ganesha! In the photograph, it looks as if he is holding up the top of that tree, and the top of the building, and the sky above it, which is rather apt. It's so seamless and smooth, modern without lacking aesthetic grace.

Here's another (http://www.teluguone.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Kha_Ganesh_041.jpg) in Khairtabad; it's colourful and charming, and something about the wide-eyed, serious gaze is touching.

A few others:

Shiva - in Rishikesh (http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/242295545_19dbadf0b7.jpg), and a beautiful Ardhanarishwara (http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/handicr/2395.htm).
Also, two pretty family scenes here (http://img2.photographersdirect.com/img/13917/wm/pd2202359.jpg) and here (http://img2.photographersdirect.com/img/13917/wm/pd2135280.jpg) (stock photos with no location info); it's amazing how much loving detail is seen in even the smallest images on temples, which many visitors might not notice. That seems another example of devotion, not ego, suffusing art.

Indra - (Not all images strictly Hindu, but favourites of mine, anyway.) Here in Bangkok (http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2749/4489110403_baef8689e9.jpg) (lovely face (http://www.thailandsworld.com/sites/thailandsworld_com/images/Bangkok%2FIndraShrine220_1.jpg)), in Bali (http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/2206833/2/istockphoto_2206833-indra.jpg), and again (http://www.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20100304/119293.jpg) in Bangkok.

How beautiful and vast is the world of Hindu art...

Though, to be fair, not all uncredited statuary is necessarily ego-less "art" (http://s3.amazonaws.com/picable/2009/09/09/1329719_Mc-Namaste_620.jpg) (also in Bangkok; thank goodness it's not carved out of jade), and not all credited art (http://www.krsna-art.com/index.php?p=copys&cid=0) shows only ego at work...

Apologies for all of the links, but it somehow seemed better than adding numerous "attachments" to any message on HDF. :P

Indraneela
===
"I wait the power of one like thee, O Indra, gifts of a Helper such as thou art, Hero.
Strong, Mighty God, dwell with me now and ever."
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

saidevo
16 June 2011, 08:49 AM
How do you like these pictures? Aren't they excellent photographs?

677
678

Just kidding, they are paintings, by an artist called ELayarAja, of TamizhnADu. Here is his website:
http://www.elayarajaartgallery.com/index.html

Seems a RAjA Ravivarma is in the making!

Jainarayan
16 June 2011, 09:48 AM
I am impressed, and thought about saying something about the beauty of almost every painting and image I've seen of the Deities. I see YT videos of bhajans and matras that are slide shows of beautiful, colorful, almost glowing icons. And it's true (which I also noticed right off) there is no artist's signature. I wonder who does all this beautful work honoring God.

saidevo
16 June 2011, 10:49 AM
namaste Minotaur.

One famous artist is KoNDiah RAju, and there are many others. Check here:
http://sites.google.com/site/indiancalendarart/home
http://sites.google.com/site/kondiahraju/prints,page2

Another artist famous for his line drawings of deity images as in the temples is Silpi:
http://artistshilpi.blogspot.com/

Jainarayan
16 June 2011, 11:02 AM
Absolutely breathtaking! Thank you. :)

Eastern Mind
16 June 2011, 11:11 AM
How do you like these pictures? Aren't they excellent photographs?

677
678

Just kidding, they are paintings, by an artist called ELayarAja, of TamizhnADu. Here is his website:
http://www.elayarajaartgallery.com/index.html

Seems a RAjA Ravivarma is in the making!

Vannakkam Saidevo: I've always had a penchant for realistic paintings. For animals check out Robert Bateman. They seem even better than great photography sometimes.

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.robertbateman.ca/images/polar.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.robertbateman.ca/&h=143&w=215&sz=11&tbnid=r2BkT30SnA8rMM:&tbnh=71&tbnw=106&prev=/search%3Fq%3DRobert%2Bbateman%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=Robert+bateman&usg=__IHFV1ihgV7OwoCMfYFrOChn3-HM=&sa=X&ei=kCr6TeOnAsbZgAeCpaWbBQ&ved=0CFYQ9QEwAw

Aum Namasivaya

saidevo
16 June 2011, 12:09 PM
namaste EM.

You are right, incredibly more realistic than in a photograph, those animals!

namaste Minotaur.

Artist Silpi's line drawings look even better in black and whilte. Some samples:
http://silpi.org/htm/contactus.htm
http://www.varalaaru.com/Default.asp?articleid=442
http://www.poetryinstone.in/lang/en/2008/10/21/silpi-an-artist-par-excellance.html

Arjuni
19 October 2011, 01:29 AM
Namasté, all,

I stumbled upon this website and wanted to share it immediately. Look at the beautiful images in the gallery (http://vvsapar.com/gallery.html). :)

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

shian
20 October 2011, 03:45 AM
Wow, i like all :)

saidevo
22 October 2011, 12:30 AM
namaste.

Two more websites:
http://www.oldindianarts.in/
http://www.oldindianphotos.in/