Class 11 Fine Art Notes Chapter 2 (Chapter 2) – An Introduction to Indian Art Part-I Book

Alright class, let's delve into Chapter 2: Arts of the Indus Valley. This civilization, flourishing around 2600–1900 BCE, primarily in the Indus River basin and extending into Gujarat, Rajasthan, and beyond, left behind a remarkable artistic legacy despite its script remaining undeciphered. Understanding these art forms gives us crucial insights into their life, beliefs, and technological skills. For your exam preparation, focus on the materials, techniques, key artefacts, and their probable significance.

Arts of the Indus Valley (c. 2600–1900 BCE)

1. Introduction:

• Time Period: Mature Harappan Phase (Bronze Age Civilization).
• Key Sites: Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan), Mohenjo-daro (Sindh, Pakistan), Dholavira, Lothal, Rakhigarhi (India), Kalibangan (Rajasthan, India), Chanhudaro (Pakistan).
• Significance: First major urbanization in South Asia; marked by sophisticated town planning (grid pattern, drainage systems) and diverse artistic production. Art reflects skilled craftsmanship and keen observation.

2. Stone Sculpture:

• Stone sculptures are relatively rare compared to terracotta or seals, but show high quality.
• Male Torso (Harappa):
  • Material: Red Sandstone.
  • Features: Highly naturalistic, sensitive modelling of a fleshy, well-proportioned body. Demonstrates an advanced understanding of human anatomy. Socket holes in the neck and shoulders suggest attachment points for head and arms, possibly made separately or of different materials.
• Bearded Man or "Priest-King" (Mohenjo-daro):
  • Material: Steatite (Soapstone).
  • Features: More stylized compared to the Harappa torso. Represents a figure with a well-kept beard, half-closed eyes (suggesting meditation - dhyana mudra), wearing a fillet or headband, an armband, and a shawl draped over the left shoulder decorated with a trefoil pattern (three-leaf motif). Considered an iconic image, possibly representing a person of high status.

3. Bronze Casting:

• Harappans were proficient metallurgists, mastering the Lost-Wax Technique (Cire Perdue) for casting bronze.
  • Lost-Wax Technique Steps: 1. Create a wax model. 2. Coat it with clay, leaving vents. 3. Heat the mould to melt and drain the wax ('lost wax'). 4. Pour molten bronze into the hollow clay mould. 5. Break the clay mould after cooling to reveal the cast bronze figure. 6. Finish and polish the figure.
• "Dancing Girl" (Mohenjo-daro):
  • Material: Bronze.
  • Features: A small (approx. 4 inches) but highly expressive statuette. Depicts a nude female figure standing in a relaxed, naturalistic posture (tribhanga - three bends in the body). Left arm is heavily laden with bangles; right hand rests on the hip. Long hair tied in a bun. Necklace is visible. Exhibits remarkable fluidity and captures a moment of repose.
• Bronze Buffalo and Bull: Examples like the bronze bull from Kalibangan show competent modelling of animals.

4. Seals:

• Most abundant artefacts. Thousands found across various sites.
• Material: Primarily Steatite (a soft stone). Also found in Agate, Chert, Copper, Faience, and Terracotta.
• Shape: Mostly square (2x2 inches average size) with a carved motif and script. Also found in rectangular, circular, triangular, button, and cylindrical shapes. Usually have a pierced boss (knob) on the back for handling or threading.
• Content:
  • Animal Motifs: Dominant theme. Realistic and powerfully rendered animals like the Unicorn Bull (most common), Humped Bull, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Tiger, Buffalo, Goat. Usually depicted in profile.
  • Human/Composite Figures: Less frequent. Includes the famous "Pashupati Seal".
  • Script: Short inscriptions in a Harappan pictographic script (undeciphered), typically above the motif.
• Pashupati Seal (Mohenjo-daro):
  • Depicts a central figure seated in a yogic posture (cross-legged) on a low throne.
  • The figure has three visible faces (possibly four) and wears a horned headdress.
  • Surrounded by animals: Elephant, Tiger (right); Rhinoceros, Buffalo (left). Two Deer are shown below the throne.
  • Interpreted by some scholars as a prototype of the Hindu god Shiva in his aspect as 'Pashupati' (Lord of Animals). This interpretation remains debated but influential.
• Purpose: Primarily believed to be commercial (used to impress on clay tags on goods, signifying ownership/authentication). Also possibly used as amulets or identity markers.

5. Pottery:

• Predominantly wheel-made. Shows variety in shapes and sizes.
• Types:
  • Plain Pottery: More common. Typically utilitarian, made of red clay, sometimes with a red or grey slip. Used for storage, cooking, etc. Includes knobbed ware.
  • Painted Pottery (Red and Black Ware): Fine quality ware. Features a red background decorated with geometric patterns (lines, circles, checks), tree patterns (pipal leaf is common), birds, animals, and occasionally human figures, painted in glossy black.
• Shapes: Goblets, dishes-on-stand, beakers, jars, basins, perforated jars (possibly for straining beverages), miniature vessels.
• Significance: Reflects daily life needs and aesthetic preferences. Designs can offer clues about the environment and beliefs.

6. Terracotta Figurines:

• Numerous figurines found, generally less refined than stone or bronze works. Mostly handmade using pinching and appliqué techniques.
• Mother Goddess Figurines:
  • Very common, especially at Mohenjo-daro. Usually standing female figures characterized by elaborate fan-shaped headdresses, heavy jewellery (necklaces, girdles), pellet eyes, and pinched noses. Often crude but symbolically important.
  • Significance: Widely interpreted as representing a fertility cult or worship of a Mother Goddess.
• Male Figurines: Less frequent, some bearded figures with coiled hair.
• Animal and Bird Figurines: Realistic or stylized figures of bulls (humped and humpless), dogs, sheep, monkeys, squirrels, birds. Also found: toy carts with wheels, whistles shaped like birds, gamesmen, and marbles.
• Significance: Provide insights into popular beliefs, daily activities, toys, and games.

7. Ornaments and Beads:

• Evident love for adornment among Harappans (both sexes).
• Materials: Gold, Silver, Copper, Bronze, Faience (glazed ceramic), Shell, Terracotta, and various Semi-precious stones (Carnelian, Agate, Jasper, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Steatite).
• Types: Necklaces, fillets, armlets, finger rings, girdles, earrings, anklets. Consciousness of fashion is apparent.
• Bead Making: Highly skilled craft. Specialized workshops found at Chanhudaro and Lothal. Produced beads of diverse shapes (disc, cylindrical, spherical, segmented, barrel) and sizes. Expertise in drilling hard stones like carnelian. Etched carnelian beads and long barrel cylinder beads are distinctive Harappan products.

8. Script:

• Harappan script is pictographic (using signs/symbols). Found mainly on seals, sealings, pottery, copper tablets, tools, and jewellery.
• Written generally from right to left.
• Remains undeciphered, posing a major challenge to fully understanding the civilization.

9. Conclusion:

• The arts of the Indus Valley display urban sophistication, technical mastery (especially in metallurgy, bead-making, pottery), and a unique aesthetic sensibility focused on naturalistic animal forms and stylized human representations.
• Art objects provide crucial evidence for understanding their economy (seals), beliefs (Mother Goddess, Pashupati), technology, and daily life.
• While the civilization declined around 1900 BCE, its artistic legacy, particularly in terms of certain motifs or techniques, might have influenced later artistic developments in the subcontinent, although direct continuity is debated.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. The famous bronze statuette known as the "Dancing Girl" was excavated from which Indus Valley site?
   a) Harappa
   b) Lothal
   c) Mohenjo-daro
   d) Dholavira

2. The iconic "Bearded Man" or "Priest-King" figure from Mohenjo-daro is primarily carved from:
   a) Bronze
   b) Steatite
   c) Red Sandstone
   d) Terracotta

3. Which advanced metallurgical technique was extensively used by Harappan craftspeople for creating bronze sculptures?
   a) Forging
   b) Sand Casting
   c) Repoussé Work
   d) Lost-Wax Technique (Cire Perdue)

4. Among the animal motifs depicted on Harappan seals, which one appears most frequently?
   a) Humped Bull
   b) Elephant
   c) Tiger
   d) Unicorn Bull

5. The script used by the Indus Valley Civilization, primarily seen on seals, is best described as:
   a) Alphabetic and fully deciphered
   b) Pictographic and remains undeciphered
   c) Syllabic and partially understood
   d) Cuneiform and related to Mesopotamian scripts

6. Harappan pottery often features painted designs in black pigment on a red surface. This type is commonly referred to as:
   a) Painted Grey Ware (PGW)
   b) Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)
   c) Red and Black Ware
   d) Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)

7. Numerous terracotta figurines believed to represent a "Mother Goddess" have been found. A common characteristic of these figurines is:
   a) Simple attire and lack of ornamentation
   b) Realistic portrayal of facial features
   c) An elaborate headdress and jewellery
   d) A seated meditative posture

8. Evidence for specialized craft production, particularly bead-making workshops, has been significantly found at which Harappan sites?
   a) Mohenjo-daro and Harappa
   b) Kalibangan and Rakhigarhi
   c) Chanhudaro and Lothal
   d) Surkotada and Banawali

9. The red sandstone male torso discovered at Harappa is particularly noted for its:
   a) Crude and primitive style
   b) Abstract representation
   c) Highly naturalistic and sensitive modelling
   d) Intricate decorative patterns

10. The well-known "Pashupati Seal" shows a central seated figure surrounded by which specific group of animals?
    a) Lion, Horse, Bull, Dog
    b) Elephant, Tiger, Rhinoceros, Buffalo
    c) Bear, Monkey, Goat, Antelope
    d) Unicorn, Crocodile, Peacock, Deer