Art Appreciation Notes
Subject Overview
Art Appreciation situates textile design within the broader history of art — surveying the phases of art in the Indian subcontinent and the influence of religion and architecture on design. You'll study the Oriental and Occidental views of art comparatively, the role of religion in art (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity) and the evolution of the human form in Indian art, and close with temple and Islamic architecture. This is a 2-credit core theory paper across 3 units, with students designing an end product based on extensive research after covering the theory.
Subject at a glance
3
Units
11
Topics
2
Credits
3
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
3 units — open any unit for detailed topic-wise notes, diagrams and important exam questions
- The basis of art in the Indian subcontinent
- phases of art history and their development
- comparative study of Oriental and Occidental views of art
- 1
Indus Valley
Seals, terracotta, bronze dancing girl
- 2
Mauryan
Polished stone pillars, Sanchi stupa
- 3
Gupta
Classical sculpture, Ajanta frescoes
- 4
Medieval
Temple sculpture, manuscript painting
- 5
Mughal
Miniatures, Islamic architecture
- 6
Modern
Bengal School and beyond
Study guide
This unit studies the basis of art in the Indian subcontinent, the phases of art history and a comparison of Oriental and Occidental views of art. Learn the main periods in order.
- Religion and art across Hinduism
- Buddhism
- Islam and Christianity
- evolution of the human form from the Indus Valley to the Gupta period
- painting traditions (manuscripts, Ajanta frescoes, Mughal and Islamic painting)
Buddhist
Stupas, Ajanta paintings, Buddha images
Hindu
Temples, deity sculpture
Islamic
Calligraphy, geometric patterns, mosques
Christian
Churches, Goan art
Study guide
You study how religion shaped art in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, the human form from the Indus Valley to the Gupta period and painting traditions such as manuscripts, Ajanta frescoes and Mughal painting. Visit a museum to see originals.
- Evolution of temple architecture
- important Islamic architecture
- with students developing an end product through research and design process based on the theory covered
Tower
Curved shikhara
Stepped pyramidal vimana
Gateway
Simpler
Large gopurams
Examples
Khajuraho, Konark
Brihadeeswarar, Meenakshi
Study guide
You study the evolution of temple architecture and important Islamic architecture and develop a design from your research. Photograph and sketch buildings to use in your design.
Why Art Appreciation Matters
Art history trains your eye and gives references for motifs, colour and composition, which feed directly into textile and fashion design.
How to Prepare for Art Appreciation
- Visit museums and monuments and sketch what you see.
- Learn the characteristics of each art period.
- Connect art motifs to textile design ideas.
Art Appreciation: Frequently Asked Questions
How does art appreciation help a textile designer?
It builds visual literacy and supplies motifs, colour palettes and compositional ideas that can be adapted into textile designs.