This lecture course will survey the arts of South Asia, from the earliest remains of Indus Valley civilization through the contemporary period. We will focus on the following themes: 1) art as a visual language, formulated to express complex stories or abstract ideas; 2) the relationship between art and devotion in India; 3) processes of cultural synthesis and assimilation; 4) the relationship between "high" art (produced for an elite or urban strata of society) and "low" art (or folk art, produced in a more rural setting); and 5) the attributes and agendas that have contributed to past interpretations of Indian art. Estimated cost of materials: $50 or more, but less than $100. III. 1, 2, 3, 4