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Explore beautiful landscapes with Marco Polo in “The Book of Wonder”
The most renowned travel story of the Middle Ages has never lost its allure. A story of true wonder, Marco Polo's experiences as well as the reported myths, transport us to the heart of Central Asia, China, Indochina, and the Indian Ocean.
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1000 Buddhas of Genius
Perfect for all those passionate about Asian art, from neophytes to Buddhists, this fascinating work invites the reader to discover or rediscover Buddha, his history, his codes, but also his innumerable faces through one thousand representations selected from among the most beautiful works held in the world's greatest museums.
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¿Qué había antes del imperio británico?
Entre los siglos XVI y XIX, llegó a India un nuevo conquistador, Babur, empujado fuera de su territorio por un líder afgano, se asentó en Kabul y Delhi y extendió su imperio por toda la zona norte de India. Este nuevo imperio se conoció, a causa de su ascendencia mongola, como imperio mogol. Llegaron a dominar sobre grandes partes del país, hasta que los británicos aprovecharon la decadencia del imperio para imponer su gobierno. Además de por la autoría del monumento más conocido de India, el Taj Mahal, el imperio mogol es conocido por un renacimiento artístico en forma de manuscritos, retratos, escenas de la corte y estudios de historia…
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Art of India
India, a country full of myths and legends – or at least in the view of a Westerner. No doubt India has a fascinating culture, an interesting history, and a long tradition in the fine arts. But when it comes to thinking about India it is always the Taj Mahal we picture. For many a symbol of love beyond death, it should also be a symbol for miserable financing as its construction led to an empty treasury. The next big thing that comes to mind is the huge film industry of Bollywood which has gathered more and more fans around the world over the last years. With its dancing and…
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Why the Soul of Surrealism is in India
If all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players, then where do the Surrealists sit? According to my imagined global map of where art movements should be located, the Impressionists are based in the South of France, the Blaue Reiter in Germany, the Nabis in Stockholm, Cubism in Iceland, the Old Masters (da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, etc.) in Italy, Aestheticism in Decorative Arts in Shanghai, Digital Art in Oslo, and Lyrical Abstraction in Tokyo. Of course, this is entirely subjective, but I think that certain countries, or cities, really do go hand in hand with the style or ideals that various art movements represent.
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Do not judge a building by its façade.
Public housing has a rather negative image – initially associated with slums and poverty, these areas were (and still generally are) avoided by middle to upper income citizens. Whether in fear of catching starvation, encountering violence, or simply being disturbed to see how the other half really lives, public housing venues are the last place you would find the “well-to-do”. However, this sort of housing can actually be quite nice, and some countries are incorporating it into their city schemes for the entire population, not just the poor, huddled masses.
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A Searching Truth
Question for the day: What brings us to make particular choices? Choices which range from our music preferences to major life decisions? Religion is one such important life choice. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism… the Big 5 (in terms of the most well-known religions). Today I shall be looking at Buddhism. What is the draw? Why is it becoming more and more popular in the Western world?
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Tronos y curry
Cuando piensas en la India te vienen tópicos a la cabeza como: yoguis, curry, miseria, La ciudad de la alegría, Bollywood, trenes atestados hasta la bandera, la madre Teresa de Calcuta y un río Ganges de dudosa salubridad. Por supuesto, también te viene la imagen del Taj Mahal, el palacio-mausoleo encargado por el emperador Sha Jaján para enterrar a su esposa favorita, Mumtaz Mahal (la buena mujer murió dando a luz a su decimocuarto (¡!) hijo, no se puede decir que no se mereciera el monumento). Este palacio, además, es representativo de una importante época en lo que ahora es la India: el Imperio mogol (siglos XVI y…
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“A Teardrop on the Cheek of Time”*
When the Mughal Empire is spoken of, I am willing to bet that the majority of people will not be overly familiar with this particular dynasty. It is true, that I am (or was) guilty of being ignorant of what this Empire was, in fact, even where it was. However, I am not so remiss as to be unacquainted with the Taj Mahal! This inspiring and beautiful World Wonder is perhaps the best-known monument to arise out of the golden age of the Mughal Empire. There have been many architectural triumphs throughout the ages which have been acknowledged as truly great, but perhaps only a handful with a personal and…
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East Meets West
The Musée du Louvre has been in the process of refurbishing their Department of Islamic Art for nearly four years now – expanding to give works of art ranging from India to Spain more, and deserved, space. Reopening the department this month, pieces spanning from the 8th through 19th centuries will be back on display for the masses – it’s about time, guys! Islamic, Central Asian, and Indian Art are all hugely underrepresented in western cultures. Many museums have one room with a few fantastic pieces devoted to entire eras of the eastern cultures. Which begs the question, should these pieces have even travelled outside of their home counties to…
This is an interactive art blog in multi languages, you will find new articles on artists, art history, exhibitions, etc. Contributions welcome.
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