Unit 2: Religion and the evolution of Indian art
Art Appreciation notes · PTU syllabus (BSTD 404-20)
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Unit summary
Religion has been the strongest influence on Indian art, from sculpture to painting. This unit covers religion and art across Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity, the evolution of the human form from the Indus Valley to the Gupta period, and painting traditions — manuscripts, Ajanta frescoes and Mughal and Islamic painting.
After this unit you can
- Relate major religions to Indian art forms
- Trace the evolution of the human figure in Indian sculpture
- Describe the Ajanta paintings and manuscript traditions
- Describe Mughal and Islamic painting
PTU syllabus topics
- 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
Topic 1
Religion and art
Hinduism
Temples, sculptures of deities, bronzes
Iconography — multiple arms, mudras, vahanas; Nataraja
Buddhism
Stupas, chaityas, viharas; Buddha images
Early aniconic symbols (wheel, footprints, Bodhi tree), later Buddha figures
Jainism
Temples (Dilwara, Ranakpur); manuscripts
Tirthankaras in meditation; Kalpasutra paintings
Islam
Mosques, tombs, calligraphy, arabesque
Geometric and floral patterns; no figures in religious spaces
Christianity
Churches of Goa and Kerala; murals
Baroque and Indo-Portuguese styles
Topic 2
Evolution of the human form: Indus Valley to Gupta
- 1
Indus Valley
Dancing Girl (bronze, lost-wax), Priest-King (steatite) — naturalistic
- 2
Mauryan
Didarganj Yakshi — polished, full-bodied
- 3
Shunga
Yakshas and yakshis at Bharhut and Sanchi — flat, decorative
- 4
Kushana — Gandhara
Greek influence: wavy hair, drapery folds, moustache
- 5
Kushana — Mathura
Indigenous, red sandstone, fleshy and smiling
- 6
Gupta
Idealised spiritual form — transparent drapery, serene face (Sarnath Buddha)
Topic 3
Painting traditions
Ajanta (2nd century BCE – 6th century CE)
Fresco-secco (tempera) murals in Buddhist caves, Maharashtra
Jataka tales; Padmapani Bodhisattva; graceful figures, natural colours
Pala manuscripts (Bengal, 8th–12th century)
Palm-leaf Buddhist manuscripts
Small figures, rich colours
Western Indian (Jain) manuscripts
Paper manuscripts (Kalpasutra)
Angular figures, protruding eye, red background
Mughal (16th–19th century)
Court ateliers under Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan
Realistic portraits, nature studies, court scenes; Persian and European influences; Hamzanama
Rajput and Pahari
Rajasthan courts; Kangra and Basohli in the hills
Bright colours, Krishna themes, lyrical
- Islamic art contributes calligraphy, geometric tessellations and floral arabesques — strong influences on Indian textiles (paisley, jaal patterns).
Key terms
- Iconography
- System of symbols identifying deities
- Aniconic
- Representing the divine without human form
- Fresco
- Painting on plaster
- Hamzanama
- Illustrated Mughal manuscript of Akbar's period
- Arabesque
- Flowing interlaced plant-based pattern
Quick revision
- Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Islamic, Christian art forms.
- Indus Valley → Mauryan → Shunga → Gandhara and Mathura → Gupta.
- Ajanta; Pala and Jain manuscripts; Mughal; Rajput and Pahari.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is aniconic Buddhist art?
- Q2.Name the bronze figure from the Indus Valley.
- Q3.How does Gandhara art differ from Mathura art?
- Q4.What do the Ajanta paintings depict?
- Q5.Name two features of Mughal painting.
- Q6.How has Islamic art influenced Indian textiles?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Explain the role of religion in Indian art.
- Q2.Trace the evolution of the human form from the Indus Valley to the Gupta period.
- Q3.Describe the painting traditions of India.
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