Entry for September 16, 2006

ART SUNDAY

 

 

 

 

 

( Decorative item)

 

As usual I was confused about which ART form I should post this Sunday…  Every ART SUNDAY, I prefer to introduce the amalgamation of the beautiful art, craft and culture of India . So this time also one more pearl from this precious treasure of my country!

 

 

( Decorative item)

 

Today I will introduce you “ TERRACOTTA” craft…. Though this is a craft form and not exactly an art form but in my view, every craft man is also an artist !  One more reason to post about craft too, is most of us put paintings on ART SUNDAY… it's good to explore and learn about paintings & painters all over the world… we too have excellent artists here, but I really feel to have variety on ART SUNDAY… So I always try to put variety at my page for ART SUNDAY… and this is my nature that I need the “change” all the time…

 

( Table)

 

So what is TERRACOTTA ? Terra cotta has been used throughout history for sculpture and pottery, as well as bricks and roof shingles. In ancient times, the first clay sculptures were dried (baked) in the sun after being formed. Later, they were placed in the ashes of open hearths to harden, and finally kilns were used, similar to those used for pottery today. However only after firing to high temperature would it be classed as a ceramic material.

 

 

(Lamp)

 

According to Indian painter-engraver Mukul Chandra Dey (1895-1989) ( he was an important personality of his time. A student of Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan School during the early years of 20th century (c. 1906-1912) — he left his mark as a pioneer of drypoint-etching in India.) — Better known as Mukul Dey — “Terracotta craft formed an important part of these folk arts. Its history could be traced from the Indus Valley culture at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, some three thousand years before Christ.”

 

 

( Pot for plant.)

 

But my Google search took me to an ancient China’s Terracotta Army, as origin of terracotta… “Significant uses of terra cotta have included Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s “Terracotta Army” of China, built in 210-109 BC.” You can see the link below. But I do like this craft or craftman’s art…. See how beautiful it is…who will say these things are made from clay! Here in my country, you will find almost every state people do have clay – craft, but south states “Tamilnadu” and ‘Andra-Pradesh are more famous for terracotta. Don’t you agree with me that who so ever made these things are not only craftmen, but artists too?

 

 

(Ganesh - Hindu God. )

 

For more information :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_cotta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army#Introduction

http://www.indiasite.com/arts/terracotta.html

http://www.chitralekha.org/terracottas1.htm

http://www.terakots.com/terracotta-pots/

 

Note : Pictures & information in this blog is taken from various sites thru’ google search.