Art History 144: Divine Faces, Ritual Spaces, Sacred Places: Hindu Art and Architecture in South and Southeast Asia

This course explores the relationship between Hindu theology, epics, religious practice, aesthetics, and ritual spaces. While much of the course focuses on Hindu visual culture within India from the 2nd century BCE to today, we will also discuss Hindu monuments and artistic traditions in Southeast Asia as a means of exploring networks of exchange in the Indian Ocean world. Temples, sculptural icons, painted manuscripts, popular prints, theatrical and dance performances, and film will be examined within their historical and cultural contexts. Topics include ways of representing and interacting with the divine, gender and the body in goddess imagery, Hindu art in political contexts, pilgrimage and festivals, monument conservation, Hindu icons in museum spaces, and artistic exchange with different religious groups (including Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity). Short papers, presentations, exams, and class participation are required. May be taken for credit toward the South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies major.