Ornament In Indian Architecture

This work visually presents some of India's great architectural achievements viewed by a Westerner as an art form. Strong black and white photographic details of existing buildings, starting with the second century B.C. stupa at S ch and concluding with the Indo-Muslim architecture of the Moghul period, are presented.

Exceptionally comprehensive, easy-to-use guide surveys the evolution of historic ornament in architecture and the applied arts-from primitive ornaments of Oceania, Egypt, and Assyria to a Gothic doorway in Amiens, the tomb of Lorenzo de Medici, and a classic early-nineteenth-century sofa by Thomas Hope. Hundreds of the author's line illustrations depict designs typical of many periods of style. Unabridged reprint of the 6th edition (1948) of A Manual of Historic Ornament, originally published in 1899 by B. T. Batsford, Ltd., London. Over 700 b/w illustrations. 16 plates of photographs.

This classic work on Indian art and design offers a richly illustrated survey of the country's architectural traditions, from the ancient Indus Valley civilization to the Mughal Empire and beyond. Lockwood de Forest's beautiful book is a must-read for anyone interested in Indian aesthetics and design. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The richness of the arts of India is overwhelming, and perhaps most noticeably so in its architecture. This innovative volume reveals the exquisite detail of the decorative compositions, their finesse, precision, and creativity. It also highlights the skill, patience, and pictorial imagination of the many thousands of craftsmen and their patrons. The timeline runs for almost two thousand years, from the Buddhist stupa at Sanchi of the first century BC/AD to Rajput palace interiors of c. 1900. Hundreds of atmospheric photo- graphs are juxtaposed with graphic transpositions of the designs, patterns, and ornamentation to reveal the nature of the architectural detail, where stone, wood, mirror work, and plaster are transformed into masterworks of decorative art.

In this fascinating study, Partha Mitter traces the history of European reactions to Indian art, from the earliest encounters of explorers with the exotic. East to the more sophisticated but still incomplete appreciations of the early twentieth century. Mitter's new Preface reflects upon the profound changes in Western interpretations of non-Western societies over the past fifteen years.