This beautifully illustrated two-volume set is the most comprehensive survey of Indian painting that the West has ever seen. Spanning 800 years and including some 600 artworks by more than 40 artists, it dispels the notion of anonymity in Indian art. The high points of artistic innovation in the history of Indian painting are demonstrated through works of the greatest Indian masters, some of whom are identified for the first time. The two-part volume is structured chronologically, which is unusual since Indian paintings have traditionally been classified according to regional styles or dynastic periods, with an emphasis on subject matter and narrative content.
Contents: Volume I: Foreword; Introduction; Indian Painting from1100 to1500; Mahavihara Master; The Master of the Jainesque Sultanate Shahnama; The Master of the Devasano Pado Kalpasutra; Indian Painting from1500 to1575; The Masters of the dispersed Bhagavata Purana; Master of the Laur Chanda Series; 'Abd al-Samad; Indian Painting from 1575 to1650; Basawan; Manohar; Keshav Das; Miskin; Farrukh Beg; Aqa Riza and Abu'l; 'Abid; Mansur; Bishandas; Muhammad 'Ali; The Masters of the Chunar Ragamala and the Hada Master; Daulat; Payag; Balchand; Govardhan; 'Ali Riza (The Bodleian Painter); Sahibdin; The Early Master at the Court of Mandi; Indian Painting from1650 to1730; Kripal, Devidasa and Golu of Nurpur; Masters of Early Kota Painting; The Sirohi Master; The First Bahu Master; The Master at the Court of Mankot, possibly Meju "The Stipple Master"; Bhavanidas Chitarman II (Kalyan Das); Dalchand; Indian Painting from1730 to1825; Nihal Chand; Mir Kalan Khan; Sahib Ram; Manaku; Nainsukh of ; The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler; Purkhu of Kangra; Bagta and Chokha; Indian Painting from1825 to1900; A Maisor Court Painter of the Early 19th Century; Masters of the "Company" Portraits; Ghasiram Sharma; Appendices: The Technique of Indian Painters; A short note; Painting Workshops in Mughal India; Bibliography; Image Credits; Index of Painters. Volume II: Foreword; Introduction; Indian Painting from1100 to1500 29 Mahavihara Master; The Master of the Jainesque Sultanate Shahnama; The Master of the Devasano Pado Kalpasutra; Indian Painting from 1500 to1575; The Masters of the dispersed Bhagavata Purana; Master of the Laur Chanda Series; 'Abd al-Samad; Indian Painting from1575 to1650; Basawan Manohar; Keshav; Miskin Michael Brand; Farrukh Beg; 'Aqa Riza and Abu'l Hasan; 'Abid; Mansur; Bishandas; Muhammad 'Ali; The Masters of the Chunar Ragamala and the Hada Master; Daulat; Payag; Balchand; Govardhan; 'Ali Riza (The Bodleian Painter); Sahibdin; The Early Master at the Court of Mandi; Indian Painting from1650 to1730; Kripal, Devidasa and Golu of Masters of Early Kota Painting; The Sirohi Master; The First Bahu Master; The Master at the Court of Mankot, possibly Meju; The "Stipple Master"; Bhavanidas; Chitarman II (Kalyan Das); Dalchand; Indian Painting from1730 to1825; Nihal Chand; Mir Kalan Khan; Sahib Ram; Manaku; Nainsukh of Guler B; The First Generation after Manaku and Nainsukh of Guler; Purkhu of Kangra; Bagta and Chokha; Indian Painting from1825 to1900; A Maisor Court Painter of the Early 19th Century; Masters of the "Company" Portraits; Ghasiram Sharma; Appendices; The Technique of Indian Painters; A short note; Painting Workshops in Mughal India; Bibliography; Image Credits; Index of Painters.