Religion and philosophy have played a decisive role in developing India's cultural life. The Indian art is a unique blend of spiritual consciousness and physicality of forms.
To appreciate the evolution of Indian art forms and their inspiring forces in the right perspective, one has to understand chronological development of Indian creative activities. With scientific and positive approach, the delicate task of reappraisal of Indian art can be achieved.
As an art repository, a museum has many-fold activities. But perhaps the most important of these is to promote intimate dialogue between art-connoisseur and museum personnel. This interaction enables a museum in interpreting its cultural heritage with rationality.
The Patna Museum has, over the years, developed as a centre disseminating awareness of history and heritage. It has been conducting popular lectures, quite regularly, apart from organizing National Seminars on issues/problems relating to art, Archaeology and Museology every year. But without the publication of the proceedings of these seminars, the very purpose of initiating such dialogues remains defeated. It is really a matter of satisfaction that the proceedings of National Seminar en Art & Archaeology of Eastern India in the form of a book have already been published.
With immense pleasure, I present this volume containing research papers delivered in the National Seminar entitled Early-Medieval Indian Art organized by the Directorate of Museums, Government of Bihar at Patna Museum from 7th-9th December, 2001.
The ancient Indian art achieved its climax both in content and form during 4 and 5" cent. A.D. After this Golden Age of ancient Indian creativity, the pan-Indian classicism was replaced by the diversified art styles having regional variation. During early-medieval period, Le. 7-10 cent. A.D., the shilpashastras and other canonical texts were rather dogmatically followed. The art form had an extra emphasis on physicality having each cultural zone a distinct regional character. The diversity of forms and styles always clung to a basic common thread of unity of spiritual consciousness, which gave the art creation of the time its own unique identity.
The purpose of this book is to discuss the vital issue of understanding the development of India art in the early medieval period. And I am confident that scholars as well as art-lovers will welcome this book.
I must congratulate the officials and staff members of Patna Museum for their painstaking efforts in organizing educational activities, including national seminars of such importance. I also take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the learned scholars without whose co-operation and creative support, it would not have been possible for us to bring out this volume of research articles In its present form.
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