Introductory Lecture on Indian Aesthetics for the course Visual Arts theory

1. INDIAN AESTHETICS
Introductory Lecture For Visual Arts
Theory
Ar. Girish Chandran

2. “Roopabhedah pramanani bhava-lavanya-yojanam |
Sadrishyam varnakabhangam iti chitram shadakam |
For a person who is going to create something as a painting or sculpture
should have knowledge of form, Proportion, Expression, Aesthetic
Scheme, Similitude (resemblance) and Color scheme
SHADANGA THEORY : SIX LIMBS OF
INDIAN PAINTING
Avanindra Nath Tagore

3. Roopbheda – The knowledge of looks and appearances.
• Roopa’ means the outer form or appearance of the subject. The perception is
visual as well as mental. ‘Bheda,’ on the other hand, means difference
/mystery. In other words, to create a painting, an artist needs to have a sound
knowledge about the different forms that exist. He has to know how a form of
life differs from a form of death. Both have their own characteristic features
and sublimity.
• ‘Roopabheda’ enables an artist to perceive and depict things as they appear. Of
course, this knowledge cannot depend solely on the power of sight. Experience
is as much important as the former.
• In the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata sixteen types of forms have been mentioned as, small, long,
thin and angular etc. There are several types of forms but they are different from each other due
to their chief characteristics. The forms can be perceived by eye and soul. However, they can be
judged by their individuality. First of all it is the eye that sees the Roopa but after that it is
introduced to the soul. Roop is an intrinsic natural beauty of visual appearance and it is brought
out by skillful manipulation of line or modulation of color which effects Bheda, differentiation of
form

4. Pramanani – Accuracy and precision of measurement and
structure
• Pramana means correct knowledge of the proportion of different forms.
Pramana gives us strong theory of proportion and measurement with logical
calculation.
• This principle is governed by certain laws, which give us the capability of proving
the correctness of our perception and delineation. ‘Pramamani’ teaches us the
exact measure, proportion and distance of the subjects. It provides an insight
into the structural anatomy of objects, too.

5. Bhava – The feelings on forms.
• ‘Bhava’ means an emotion, a feeling, an intention, or an idea. This aspect of art
is depicted in the form of feelings expressed by the subject
• facial expressions which are generally ruled by the inner feelings. The artist had
to visualize the situation, emotions and express them in form of expressions
• Beauty and grace cannot be imparted to the image by any cut and dried rule. It
must come from the heart of the artist and sculptor .Bhava is the representation
of sentimental grace in posture and is the action of feeling of form.
• The Bhava is an expression of inner sensation which comes naturally through
visual representation of object. We can easily see the overt expression of
sentiment by our eyes, but only heart can feel its covert form.

6. Lavanya Yojanam – Aesthetic scheme :Blending grace in an
artistic representation.
• Painting should be gracefully high in its artistic quality. The pramanani is for
stringent proportions, and bhava is for expressing movement. But, lavanya
yojanam is for controlling the over-expression of both. The motive is to bring
about a sense of beauty in a dignified and organised manner.
• Abanindranath Tagore, the famous artist from West Bengal, has described lavanya
yojanam as a ‘loving mother,’ who is also careful about the rules of raising up her
child.
• Lavanya could not make a good painting, so only balanced Lavanya-Yojnam should
he there in a painting or work of art.

7. Sadrisyam or Resemblance.
• This is perhaps the most challenging task of creating a painting. Sadrisyam
suggests the degree to which a depiction is similar to an artist’s vision or the
subject itself. In a way, it is also a way of depicting similitude.
• According to Avanindra Nath Tagore, to express the Bhava of any form with the
help of any other form is the function of Sadradhyam [17]. Sadradhyam means the
ascertainment or determination of the real form or resemblance or similarity in
form and ideas.
• Why is a beautiful girl called ‘moon-faced’? Why are her lips like rose petals and eyes like those of a deer? Well, THIS is
similitude in a literal sense. Of course, artists cannot draw snakes instead of a lady’s tresses or a moon instead of her face.
The delineation must come from their artistic way of painting.

8. Varnakabhangam – Colour scheme and use of the brush and colours.
• It means the use of color in an artistic style for creating an aesthetic sense. There
should be appropriate color scheme to express the idea and atmosphere in a
painting.
• For this the painter should be versatile and dexterous in the application of color.
He should have keen knowledge about color and the ways to handle it. He should
have the knowledge of what color scheme can make a definite atmosphere lively.
• The term translated means the way a subject is being drawn and coloured. So,
obviously, there shall be the use of brush and pigments. What this principle
focuses on, is the way the strokes are being applied to a canvas, and the
knowledge of the artist about the different colours.

9. RASA THEORY
• RASA ( Sanskrit: “essence,” “taste,” or “flavour,” literally “sap” or
“juice”) Indian concept of aesthetic flavour, an essential element of any
work of Visual and Performing arts
• The theory of rasa is attributed to Bharata a sage-priest who may have
lived sometime between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE. It was
developed by the rhetorician and philosopherAbhinavagupta (c. 1000),
who applied it to all varieties of theatre andpoetry.

10. • Śṛngāram(शृङ्गारं) Love, Attractiveness. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour:green.
• Hāsyam (हास्यं) Laughter, Mirth, Comedy. Presiding deity: Ganesha. Colour: white.
• Raudram (रौद्रं) Fury. Presiding deity: Rudra. Colour: red.
• Kāruṇyam (कारुण्यं) Compassion, Tragedy. Presiding deity: Yama. Colour:dove
coloured.
• Bībhatsam (बीभत्सं) Disgust, Aversion. Presiding deity: Shiva Colour: blue
• Bhayānakam (भयानक
ं ) Horror, Terror. Presiding deity: Kala. Colour: black
• Vīram (वीरं) Heroic mood. Presiding deity: Indra Colour:wheatish brown
• Adbhutam (अद् भुतं) Wonder, Amazement. Presiding deity: Brahma. Colour: yellow
• --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Śāntam Peace or tranquility. deity: Vishnu Colour: white
• Vātsalya (वात्सल्य) Parental Love
• Bhakti (भक्ति) Spiritual Devotion
The principal human feelings, according to Bharata, are delight, laughter, sorrow, anger,
energy, fear, disgust, heroism, and astonishment, all of which may be recast in contemplative
form as the various rasas: erotic, comic, pathetic, furious, heroic, terrible, odious, marvelous,
and quietistic. These rasas comprise the components of aesthetic experience. The power to
taste rasa is a reward for merit in some previous existence.

11. SHILPA SHASTRAS
• (Sanskrit: शिल्प शास्त्र śilpa śāstra) literally means the Science of Shilpa (arts and
crafts). It is an ancient term for numerous Hindu texts that describe arts, crafts,
and their design rules, principles and standards.

12. Shilpa Shastras were manuals for sculpture and Hindu iconography, prescribing
among other things, the proportions of a sculptured figure, composition,
principles, meaning, as well as rules of architecture.

13. Sixty-four techniques for such arts or crafts, sometimes called bāhya-kalā "external
or practical arts", are traditionally enumerated, including carpentry, architecture,
jewellery, farriery, acting, dancing, music, medicine, poetry etc.

17. EARLY PERIOD :8 to 10 AD
Ajanta Ellora

18. EARLY PERIOD :8 to 10 AD

19. EARLY PERIOD :8 to 10 AD

20. EARLY PERIOD :8 to 10 AD

21. mughal
MUGHAL

49. mysore

51. KALIGHAT PAINTING S

56. pattachitra