The Art of India: Traditions of Indian Sculpture, Painting and Architecture

The Art of India: Traditions of Indian Sculpture, Painting and Architecture by Stella Kramrisch is a broad and influential study of Indian artistic traditions, examining sculpture, painting, and architecture as interconnected expressions of Indian religious, philosophical, and cultural thought. Kramrisch emphasizes that Indian art cannot be understood merely through style or chronology; its forms are closely linked to ideas of ritual, symbolism, sacred space, cosmic order, and spiritual realization. The book surveys Indian art from the Indus Valley and early historical periods through Buddhist, Hindu, medieval, and later regional traditions. It discusses temple architecture, sacred images, Buddhist monuments, Hindu sculpture, Ajanta painting, Gupta art, South Indian traditions, Rajput and Mughal painting, and the relationship between artistic form and religious meaning. Richly illustrated with photographs, colour plates, and a map of major sites, the volume is an important reference for the study of Indian art history, Buddhist and Hindu iconography, architecture, sculpture, and painting.