________________
184 • alese festa, ftala 37e ACT * men and deities reached its highest water mark. No art in the world can be compared with the Gupta art in the revelation of the majesty and sublimity, charm and tenderness of the human figures.
Gupta sculpture reflects the high accomplishment and depth of human insight of the artist. The notable qualities of the art of the Gupta age have been assessed by Coomaraswamy, thus: “Earlier Indian art is, so to speak a product of nature, rather than of artifice and characterized by naturalism and simplicity. Gupta art is the flower of an established tradition, a polished and perfected medium like the Sanskrit language, for the statement of thought and feeling ....its character is self-possessed, urbane, at once exuberant and formal.......Philosophy and faith possess a common language in this art that is at once abstract and sensuous, and reserved and passionate.
. The art of the period shows greater vitality. The examples are intensely lively; powerful and human. The artist derived inspiration from the day to day life, imparting into the sculpture rhythm and dynamism. • At last I would like to conclude that the modern art in India is a dynamic art form that has been flourishing for decades. Indian paintings provide an aesthetic continuum that extends from the early civilization to the present day. From being essentially religious in purpose in the beginning. Indian painting has evolved over the years to become a fusion of various cultures and traditions. The cave paintings in different parts of India bear testimony to these influences and a continuous evolution of new idioms is evident.
Reference Books 1. Coomaraswamy, A : (i) History of Indian and
Indonesian Art, London, 1927.
(ii) Introduction to Indian Art, Madras, 1956. 2. Chandra, Moti : Indian Art, Bombay, 1964.
3. Coomaraswamy, India and Indonesian Art, p. 174. 4. Introduction to Indian Art, p.34.
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org