European views of Indian art
Topic: Early Indian Art and Architecture: Stupas, Rock-cut Caves, Temples · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings"
Meaning
In the 19th century, many European scholars were shocked by Indian images with many arms and heads and called them "grotesque". They judged Indian sculpture by the standards of ancient Greek art. So they ranked the Greek-looking images from the northwest as the best. NCERT calls this the trap of judging the unfamiliar by yardsticks taken from the familiar.
Example
Gandhara images of the Buddha, made in grey-black schist (a dark stone) with flowing robes and lifelike bodies, were praised. The more Indian styles, such as Mathura's red sandstone figures, and many-armed Puranic gods were looked down on.
Don't confuse with
- James Fergusson's "tree and serpent worship" error: a different mistake. Fergusson studied Sanchi's images without reading Buddhist texts. The Greek yardstick was a mistake about what counts as beautiful.
Related concepts
- Elliot marbles
- Indian Museum, Calcutta
- Preservation of Sanchi
- Shahjehan Begum
- Sultan Jehan Begum
- H.H. Cole
- In situ preservation
- Treasure Trove Act
- Rajendra Lala Mitra
- Arjuna's Penance