Ancient Art from Greece and India: A Comparison
Art is a cultural phenomenon that perpetuates consistently throughout the world. Each time period and culture has its own artistic sensibility, often connected to the cultural, political and religious values of the time. The art of ancient Greece and India is no exception to this. While significant changes occurred throughout the centuries that could be consider "ancient," a comparison of certain works shows the similarities and differences between what could be essentially regarded as the Western and Eastern cultures of ancient times.
In ancient India, for example, art tended towards being largely introspective. Hence, environmental and political elements did not play as important a role as the internal elements of mind and introspection. In terms of iconography, therefore, religious and metaphysical concerns take precedence over influences of culture and environment. In terms of this, the Indian idea of Pramana, or "creation of truth," was the ultimate concern. Art was concerned about creating the ideal proportion in terms of physical representation. This was the ultimate concern, as opposed to any distracting influences such as emotion. Environment remains secondary.
In this sense, symbols play an essential part in depicting the mentality and devotion of the work of art (Caroun.com, 2015). During the medieval period, for example, convention played a primary role in Hindu aesthetics and art, where conventionality was seen as a means understanding nature and making it intelligible. Communication is an act made possible by means of symbols, which is why symbols are such an essential element in Indian art. Convention works with symbolism to express the true meaning of the visual object.
The wall paintings of Ajanta and Bagh show the use of symbolism and perspective to represent culturally held values at the time. The man-made caves where these paintings appear are lavish, reflective of its patronage from royalty. During the time of...
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Turtle shell rattles have been used for countless centuries. Such rattles have been recovered from ancient sites in the southwest and in the Mississippian civilizations. The turtle rattle was also a musical instrument in ceremonial use. One of its most important functions was its significance in the False Face ceremonies. One of the most distinguishing features of the Iroquois belief system is the reliance on the mask for religious and
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