Description
[G/C; Asian Studies Program] Since the beginning of human history, the depiction of bodily form has been one of the most central endeavors of artistic production. From successful explorations of figural proportion in Western classical art, to investigations of interior anatomy during the High Renaissance, the natural form has been lauded as a worthy artistic subject. Yet in the realm of South Asian art, it is not just the body, but the adorned body which has occupied the pinnacle of aesthetic aspirations for millennia. Transcending sectarian lines and historical periods, such images in South Asia can be found in diverse form—from bejeweled sculptures of Hindu deities and painted portraits of sartorially refined Islamic rulers, to the latest examples of bridal couture produced by India’s modern fashion industry. Through a reading of scholarly and historical sources, as well as analyses of sculpture, painting, textiles, jewelry, and other examples of material culture, this course explor