The art on the Indian subcontinent with the present states of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka vary depending on landscape and religion. The Indian art is one of the most important complexes of the world art and is determined by the religion. Its most outstanding achievements include the illustrations of intimate contemplation and sensual vitality. Four culturally different phases string together:

The Harappan culture of north-western and northern India in the 3rd - 2nd century B.C., the periods of Indian antiquity up to the Middle Ages, the Indo-Islamic periods since the muslim conquests from the 12th and 13th centuries and modern period, that initiates the Hindu renaissance and finally flows into the modern international flair.

The Harappan culture (ca. 2500 - 1500 B.C.) is the first advanced civilization on Indian soil.

A renowned Brahmin caste society was formed after the arrival of Aryan tribes in the Vedic period from about 1200 B.C. and was the basis of later Hindu and Buddhist religions of India. Besides the early iron implements, here have been found finely painted ceramics.

The Mauryan Period (4th - 2nd century B.C.) determined the early phase of state building and coincided with the the emergence of Buddhism. The first monumental architectonic and sculptural works, animal figures of the highest sculptural maturity arose during this time. The artistic styles of stupas developed in the early Buddhist and early Hindu periods, (about 100 - 75 B.C.). The Buddhist art styles forego the human representation of Buddha, in Hinduism idols emarged from the outset.

The early Hindu and Buddhist picture cult fully developed in the Satavahana period from the 2nd - 3rd century A.D.

The Gupta period (320 - 6th century) saw the emergence of the Buddha image with great inner composure. In Hindu art, the representations of Shiva and Krishnu were created with a soft modeling and well-balanced proportions.

Medieval periods (7th - 13th century). The common religious traditions of India proved to be a culturally unifying foundation. The hindu trinity of Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma was the subject of artistic creation. The Devi and Shakti have acquired a special position as female cosmic forces in the Tantric art. The esoteric direction of Tantrayana, in the Pantheon of which the Bodhisattvas and Taras dominated, was formed in Buddhism towards the end of the 1st millennium. The temples of that time, decorated with figurative reliefs, were impressive.

Indo-Islamic art developed from the 12th century, however, remained dominated by the Indian architects. The Mughal dynasty, founded by Babur in 1526, started to develop monumental fortress, palace and garden architecture, that was characterized by the use of precious materials (red sandstone, white marble).

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Bodhisattva

An art work that is cut in from a stone or wooden surface, not modeled in the round.

According to the degree of projection one can distinguish between low-relief or bas-relief and high relief. The sunk relief is a common form of reliefs in Ancient Egypt, where the depicted scenes were cut into the stone or wood surface.

Among the most famous reliefs are the works of the Florentine master Lorenzo Ghiberti. He created, among others, the bronze doors of the Florence Baptistery, called by Michelangelo the "Gates of Paradise".