ARHA290

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ARHA290

Narrative, Text and Image in South Asian Art (Epic Themes in South Asian Art and Literature) ARHA290 SP

Crosslistings: ALIT295

Next Offered in 9899 SP

This course focuses on the interface between literary text and artistic image in traditional South Asia. Early Buddhist narrative reliefs, Hindu icons of the Post-Gupta period and medieval miniature painting of the Rajput and Mughal schools all provide examples of images that cannot be fully understood without a consideration of their textual dimensions, yet the mode of relationship between text and image varies in important ways. The art to be examined relates to a broad assortment of textual genres, ranging from epic and myth to visualization formulas and prescriptive iconographic texts. Attention will be divided evenly between artistic images and the associated iconographic texts (to be read in translation). No prior knowledge of Indian literature assumed.

MAJOR READINGS

E.C. Dimock, et al, THE LITERATURE OF INDIA:
AN INTRODUCTION
J.A.B. van Buitenen, tr. THE MAHABHARATA - 1. THE BEGINNING
W. Buck, tr, THE RAMAYANA
M.N. Srinivas, "A Note on Sanskritization and
Westernization"
J.F. Staal, "Sanskrit and Sanskritization"
O. Graber and S. Blair, EPIC IMAGES AND CONTEMPORARY HISTORY
M.C. Beach, THE IMPERIAL IMAGE: PAINTINGS FOR THE MUGHAL
COURT
M.S. Nagaraja Rao, KIRATARJUNIYAM IN INDIAN ART
A. Dallapiccola, THE RAMACHANDRA TEMPLE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Two short essays; one research paper; midterm and final (both take-home)

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Unless preregistered students attend the first class meeting or communicate directly with the instructor prior to the first class, they will be dropped from the class list. NOTE: Students must still submit a completed Drop/Add form to the Registrar's Office.

COURSE FORMAT: Colloquium

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UG Credit: 1.00

Prerequisites: None

Last Updated on MAR-03-1998

About the Photo:

FALCON, a miniature of the Mughal School from the Jahangir period

Reference:

Deneck, Marguerite-Marie. INDIAN ART. London: Paul Hamlyn Ltd., 1967

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