The Art of Ajanta and Sopoćani: A Comparative Study : an Enquiry in Prāṇa AestheticsMotilal Banarsidass Publ., 1994 - 316 pages Pauranic Prana-aesthetics, a finer shade different from that of vitalistic aesthetics )the earlier having breathing-rhythm of Ksaya-Vrddhi --diminuation and augmentation--other than the latter`s emphasis only on the rhythm of augmentation), has been delineated in this study with examples from the world`s two of the best art-monuments: Ajanta (India), now not remaining unknown even to the most casual connoisseur, and Sopocani (Yugoslavia), the most significant and monumentally beautiful work of Byzantine art. Tracing Prana-aesthetics as the aesthetics of inner-light coded in the creeper-motif by the artists of Ajanta, this work emphasises decoding of the creeper-motif by Byzantine artists culminating into the frescoes of Sopocani done in Hellenistic-Byzantine aesthetics beatifield by Hesycast meditation to which that of Buddhists was not unknown. Comparisons of various determinant aspects, aesthetics and artistic denominators, and constraints not allowing similar consummation are properly investigated to substantiate the thesis that Prana-aesthetics transfigures at Ajanta but transubstantiates at Sopocani. The significance of the anabolic aspects of this aesthetics is highlighted especially as a way out from the reductivistic tendencies of the present day visual-arts straining them upto the stage of catabolic dissolution. |
Contents
1 | |
FACTUAL CATEGORIES 4185 | 41 |
INTERPRETATIVE CATEGORIES | 87 |
ARTIST AND PATRON | 133 |
STYLE AND TECHNIQUE | 145 |
Spatial Structuring | 160 |
Spatial Structuring | 164 |
Comparative | 170 |
Colour and Values | 183 |
Quality of Surface | 189 |
Comparative | 195 |
Tension | 201 |
Technique | 212 |
SUMMARY 261285 | 261 |
Bibliography | 287 |
Glossary | 297 |
Common terms and phrases
aesthetics Ajanta and Sopoćani Apostles Arnheim artist of Sopoćani artists of Ajanta Avalokitesvara B.D. Mahajan becomes Bodhisattva Buddha Buddhist Bussagli Byzantine Art cave 17 caves 9 centre century A.D. Christ Christian Citrasūtra colour composition conception creeper D.T. Rice decoration divine Dormition Erich Neumann Ernst Kitzinger figures forthcoming frescoes Gandhara giving Greek Gupta Gupte and B.D. Hilandar Holy Ibid iconography icons India Indian Art Indian Painting inner-light inscription Jātaka Kālidāsa Karl Khandalavala King light lotus Madanjeet Singh Mahāyāna medieval module monastery monks monumentality motif murals mystic Narthex nave nirvāṇa P.A. Michelis Padmapāņi painters Parimoo patriarchs perception pictorial pillars plastic prajñā prāṇa presented principle Radhakrishnan Ramesh Shanker Gupte Ratan Parimoo rhythms Rudolf Arnheim Satavahanas sculptures Serbian Orthodox Church Simeon Nemanja similar Sivaramamurti Snellgrove Sopoćani Sopoćani plate space spatial spirit structural stūpa style surface symbol tradition Tree Uroš V.J. Djurić Vākāṭaka Virgin visual Vojislav wall Yakṣa Yugoslavia
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