A focus on material and temporal specificity and artistic intentionality lies at the heart of art historical inquiry. But what can pouring milk over a bronze sculpture of a god, constructing an Islamic prayer niche with the remains of the inner sanctum of a Hindu temple, or the destruction of monumental Buddha figures by the Taliban in Afghanistan tell us about the power of the image that a secular, human-centric understanding of the aesthetic does not? This seminar seeks to explore how sacred understandings of the image shape artistic practice and its reception across premodern, modern, and contemporary South Asia. It aims to demonstrate that attending to the way people relate to images in ritual and devotional contexts, strengthens and supplements canonical forms of art historical investigation. Further, focussing on the efficacies of the image illuminates the changing relationship between art, visual culture, religion, the economy and politics in South Asia.

Estimated Cost of Materials: less than $50

HISTART category for concentration distribution categories: 2: Medieval and 4: Modern and Contemporary. C: Asia and D: Europe and the U.S.

Textbooks/Other Materials: All readings for this course will be scanned and posted on Canvas.