Author: Bimal Bandyopadhyay
Publisher: Sundeep Prakashan
Year: 1981
Language: English
Pages: 236
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8175740450
Description
The work not only reveals the skill of the craftsmen of the past but an entire civilization that was at its height during the contemporary age. The study highlights the socio-cultural base of this form of art, which once formed a part of the curricula of the famous University of Nalanda for its students from India and abroad.
In its first chapter, the development of metal art in India has been narrated with reference to the technique involved. In the second chapter, the development and growth of the metal art in eastern India has been narrated, and has been discussed with reference to the following three periods, i.e. Early Pala, Classical Pala and Late Pala. Several literary texts contain evidence relating to the casting of images in metal and these have been elaborately discussed.
The book has been illustrated by more than sixty plates and further enriched by a classified list of selected metal sculptures housed in different museums of India and abroad.
Contents
ABBREVIATIONS
PREFACE
CHAPTER I-INTRODUCTION
Metal and metal casting in India: Early remains : Height of technique attained in the
Harappan Culture: Continuity of the tradition: Reference to metal in the Vedic literature
Possibility of the existence of metal image in the Vedic age: The epic tradition:
The iron figure of Bhima: Mention of metal images in the early Sanskrit texts, Agnipurana,
Vishnupurana etc.: Actual finds of metal sculptures in Eastern India : The Sultanganj image: Sarvani image
of the Khadgas: The monasteries as centres of metal casting: Nature of metal sculptures.
CHAPTER II - EASTERN INDIAN METAL SCULPTURE FROM THE EARLIEST TO THE TWELFTH CENTURY A D.
Metal sculptures in early phase: The centres of metal casting: The Buddhist monasteries:
The bronzes of Sultanganj, Kurkihar, Nalanda: Metal Sculptures in Eastern India
of the 10th-12th centuries A.D.: Buddhist, Brahmanical.
CHAPTER III-EXTENSION OF THE INFLUENCE OF EAST INDIAN METAL ART NEPAL: Tibet: Burma: Ceylon: Java: Siam.
CHAPTER IV-SOME LITERARY TEXTS ON METAL CASTING
CHAPTER V-CONCLUSION
APPENDIX
Classified list of metal sculptures of Eastern India housed in different museums.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES
PLATES