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Ishita Gupta

Professor Yashaswini Chandra

Indian and Himalayan Art

18th March 2019

Indian Art by Partha Mitter

Partha Mitter, in his book, Indian Art elaborates upon the forms of art that developed in India at
various locations from Indus Civilizations (2500 BCE) to Contemporary India (1970’s-2000). He
looks at each time period through diverse lenses like craftsmen-ship, subject matter, and
material and technique. However, the uniting factor between every-time period is their
interdependence. This, I feel, is also what the author defines as Indian Art, the synthesises of
art forms from many time period. This concoction is linear and the book also showcases this
through its division. The book is divided in four parts: Buddhist and Hindu Art and Architecture,
Indo-Islamic Art and Architecture, Colonial Art and Architecture, and Postcolonial Art and
Architecture.

A few more interesting analysis which are not elaborated upon in this essay are the treatment
of women in art and non-canonical Indian art. Mitter, brings out a fresh perspective to the
patriarchal outlook towards Indian Art and Architecture by highlighting the role of women
artists, portrayal of women in paintings and role of royal women in commissioning buildings
and paintings. The section on Nur Jahan’s role in Mughal Paintings provides an insight into the
role of royal females in enabling the growth of art in a highly male-dominated rule. The book
also highlights that tribal art and non-canonical art is an integral part of Indian Art. While
discussing art during Indus Valley Civilization he shines light on this inclusive definition of Indian
Art. He lays down the elements and forms of art present during the Indus valley civilization in
order to incorporate the plethora of artifacts and utility items that can be included in the idea
of art in India. In the later chapters, he discusses tribal and non-canonical art in detail.

His analysis of the early form of Indian art, Buddhist art and architecture, highlights the
elements and the emphasis given to these elements in the approaching art forms. He argues
that Buddhist art is the “earliest Indian religion to inspire major artistic monuments” (Mitter,
2001). The subject matter becomes important during Buddhist art and there is a transformation
of art in the realm of worship from a decorative purpose. Another essential element is the
extensive use of iconography in terms of stupas, stories from Buddha’s life and spatial
arrangement. Later, Mughal rulers used iconography to showcase their power and wealth.
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In Part II, he emphasises on the intermixing of Islamic elements with not just Hindu art but also
from Jain, and Buddhist art forms. He reasons that while India provided labour and material,
the Islamic rulers gave it shape and form (Mitter, 2001). The Indian artists used the mouldings
of Hindu temples to create mosques and the minarets from Afghanistan were made of red
sandstone, an Indian raw-material. New forms of architecture, like Mausoleums, mosques, etc,
along with pointed arches were introduced to Indian art. The Mughal architecture had a similar
central axis like Buddhist architecture on which they made their main building. Mitter argues,
that the ground plan of Akbar’s tomb resembles the Buddhist stupas because of its diminishing
layers (Mitter, 2001).

Similarly, Mughal and Sultanate Paintings, are also an amalgamation of elements from various
regions and cultures. In India, the author reasons the trend of illustrations was started by
Tantric Buddhists treatises which was soon followed by Jain merchants. Partha Mitter (2001),
argues, the style of the Ni’mat Nama seems persian in the first glance, however, the faces and
costumes unveil the Indian element. The author also underlines the role of artists in this
intermixing of elements in paintings; he proclaims that painters in India “adjusted their style
according to the particular needs of the clients” (Mitter, 2001); the same painter painted for
Jain, Hindu and Muslim rulers. Hence, artists too, in addition to trade, played an important role
in this intertwining of elements and forms. Akbar, in addition, to Persian and Islamic texts, got
Hindu texts like Mahabharata and Ramayana illustrated and translated. Similarly, Partha Mitter
(2001), argues, Rajasthani paintings were transformed by the Mughal art and architecture. He
argues that Mughal artists who travelled to Rajasthani courts post- decline of Mughals
influenced this painting style (Mitter, 2001). Further, he puts forward that portrait painting, a
gift from Mughal paintings became one of the favourite forms of Rajasthani rulers.

Colonial architecture and Nationalist paintings were too not devoid of the elements of the past.
Mitter (2001), in his book, highlights artists during the National movement wanted to create a
form of art that resembled the “indigenous form”. This indigenous aspect was bought through
subject matter, style and medium. Abindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, AR Chughtai, painted
pictures of Radha and Krishna, and paintings from Ajanta and Ellora in order to create an
oriental form of art (Mitter, 2001). The Bengal School, incorporated Japanese techniques with
water medium which was a counter to Victorian oil paintings. On the contrary, the colonial
architecture was an amalgamation of colonial features with Indian architecture (Mitter, 2001).
In the last section, he showcases the artisans (engineers) were Indian who helped this blend of
Colonial and Indian art (Mitter, 2001). Climate also played a huge role and the windows and
shutters were modified to suit the Indian climate and landscape. The author argues the
partnership between Edwin Lutyen and Herbert Baker led to the perfect amalgamation of
colonial architecture and Indian elements. Baker encouraged nationalists painters to become a
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part of the creation of New Delhi, while Lutyens style was the epitome of neoclassical
architecture (Mitter, 2001).

Hence, the author under the umbrella of craftsmanship, medium and technique, form and
subject matter analyses each period of Indian Art. The linking factor, however, for the author is
the combination of different art forms from various periods. Indian Art, as the book showcases,
it is not a specific period or a specific culture but a form which has absorbed different forms of
art throughout history. This mixture of art forms by artisans or through subject matter is linear
in nature this makes it hard to understand a particular time period of art forms in vacuum
devoid of other time period. Therefore, the book, titled “Indian Art”, explains this linear
progression through a detailed analysis of the various time periods.
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Bibliography

Mitter, P. (2001). Indian art. Oxford University Press, USA.