Indian Art Through the Ages: Ancient to Contemporary

  • Indian Art Through the Ages: From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Expression

    India's artistic heritage spans over 5,000 years, encompassing religious devotion, courtly magnificence, colonial documentation, and contemporary innovation. Through diverse mediums from bronze casting to marble carving, Indian artists have created works that serve simultaneously as spiritual objects, cultural records, and expressions of aesthetic mastery.

  • Indian art resists simple categorization. It encompasses the sacred and the secular, the monumental and the intimate, the ancient and the utterly contemporary. What unifies this vast artistic output across millennia is a commitment to craftsmanship, attention to symbolic meaning, and the belief that beautiful objects enhance daily life while connecting viewers to deeper cultural truths. Canvas & Bronze's Indian collection spans this remarkable chronological and stylistic range, offering collectors opportunities to engage with artistic traditions that have evolved continuously while maintaining connections to their historical roots.

  • Framed architectural drawing of a mosque with domes and minarets in grayscale, displayed on an easel.
    Jane Emerging
    Lucknow II, 2015
    Ink on paper
    Length X Width (24.5" X 33")
    $3,000.00
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    Ancient Traditions: Sacred Bronze and Religious Expression

    Indian bronze casting represents one of the subcontinent's most enduring artistic achievements, with techniques refined over centuries to create devotional sculptures of remarkable sophistication. The "Krishna" bronze from 1970 demonstrates this tradition's vitality, depicting the beloved deity in his characteristic pose as divine musician. Standing 12 inches tall and weighing 3.5 kilograms, the sculpture captures Krishna playing the flute while balanced on one leg, every detail rendered with devotional precision from ornate costume to elaborately carved tiered base.

     

    Bronze sculptures like this served essential roles in Hindu worship, functioning as focal points for devotion in home shrines and temples. The casting process itself carried spiritual significance, requiring precise control while the artist maintained ritual purity throughout creation. The 1970 date reminds us that these traditions remain living practices, with contemporary bronze casters continuing techniques passed down through generations.

     

    The "Nandi" bronze from 1980 offers a complementary example. This 11-inch sculpture depicts Shiva's sacred bull in traditional resting posture, adorned with multiple strands of bells and decorative elements. In Hindu temple architecture, Nandi sculptures traditionally face the main shrine, where devotees whisper prayers into the bull's ear for conveyance to Lord Shiva.

  • Silver bracelet with intricate patterns and blue stone inlays on a black background.
    Jane Emerging
    Antique Silver Lapis Lazuli Bangle
    Silver Bangle
    Width X Diameter (1.5” X 2.5”)
    Weight 48g
    $485.00
    Inquiry

    Mughal Splendor and Colonial Documentation: Silver Work and Historical Record

    Indian silver craftsmanship reached extraordinary heights during the Mughal period and continued through the colonial era, producing objects that combined functional purpose with narrative ambition.

     

    The "Antique Silver Box - Repousse" exemplifies this tradition's pinnacle. Measuring 15 inches by 13 inches and containing over half a kilogram of silver, this exceptional piece features an intricately detailed royal darbar scene. The repoussé work creates remarkable depth, depicting a dignitary beneath an ornate canopy while attendants, courtiers, and military figures arrange themselves in hierarchical composition, framed by processional elephants and horses.

     

    Acquired in Delhi with provenance tracing to a Hyderabad family, such elaborate containers served as prestigious storage for jewelry or ceremonial objects, their decorative imagery preserving cultural narratives while demonstrating the owner's refined taste and social status.

     

    Regional traditions developed distinctive characteristics across the subcontinent. The "Orissa Antique Silver Fruit Bowl" from 2000 showcases eastern India's celebrated metalworking. This ceremonial vessel features openwork filigree with dramatic handles curving like stylized wings, paired birds creating the central motif. The piece demonstrates multiple silversmithing techniques simultaneously, reflecting how silver objects held both practical and spiritual significance in Indian households.

     

    The British Raj period introduced new subjects while Indian artists adapted traditional skills to document colonial culture. Santosh K Sharma's watercolor series depicting British Raj soldiers captures this moment with meticulous attention to uniform details and regimental distinctions, functioning as both artistic achievements and historical documents.

  • Indian Art: The Work of Santosh K Sharma

    • Portrait of a distinguished man in traditional attire with a red turban and military uniform, holding a sword, set against a neutral background.
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 14th (King George's Own) Ferozepore Sikhs 1913, 2015
      $500.00
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      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 14th (King George's Own) Ferozepore Sikhs 1913, 2015
      500.00
    • Illustration of a man in traditional Indian attire with a red turban and coat, holding a sword, set against a minimalistic background with a gold-bordered frame.
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Bengal Native Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs) (1893)
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      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Bengal Native Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs) (1893)
      500.00
    • A painting of a man in traditional attire, featuring a red coat, black trousers, and a turban, holding a sword, set against a plain background.
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Bengal Native Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs) (1893) (M)
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      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Bengal Native Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs) (1893) (M)
      400.00
    • Illustration of a historical figure in a blue and gold uniform with a sword, set against a minimalist background with a decorative border.
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Lancer's 1937
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      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Lancer's 1937
      500.00
    • Watercolor of a 19th-century military officer in blue and gold uniform with sword
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Lancer's 1937 (M)
      Enquire
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 15th Lancer's 1937 (M)
      400.00
    • Colorful portrait of a man in traditional attire with a vibrant headdress and red sash, set against a minimalist background.
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 1st Bombay Lancer's (1881)
      Enquire
      Santosh k Sharma, British Raj Soldier - 1st Bombay Lancer's (1881)
      500.00

  • Contemporary Voices: Honoring Heritage Through Modern Practice

    Contemporary Indian artists continue engaging with cultural heritage while developing distinctly modern vocabularies. "Lucknow II" from 2015 demonstrates this synthesis through sensitive architectural documentation. The 24.5 by 33 inch ink drawing depicts the historic Asafi Mosque with atmospheric subtlety, its twin minarets and elegant domes creating powerful presence. The monochromatic palette and precise hatching technique create contemplative mood appropriate to the spiritual significance of this iconic structure in the City of Nawabs.

     

    The "Sange Marmar - Aangan" from 2025 exemplifies how traditional craft adapts to contemporary aesthetics. This 20 by 10 inch white marble tray combines minimalist design with refined details, hand-carved with gracefully scalloped edges and a delicate lotus rosette at center. The name "Aangan," referring to the inner courtyard in traditional Indian homes, captures the tray's purpose as gathering place within domestic space, demonstrating how India's renowned marble carving traditions continue evolving while serving modern lifestyles.

  • Indian art's remarkable continuity across millennia stems from sustained commitment to craftsmanship excellence and meaningful cultural expression. From bronze deities cast using ancient techniques to contemporary marble work employing traditional carving methods, Indian artists maintain dialogues with their artistic ancestors while creating works that speak to present concerns. Canvas & Bronze's collection demonstrates how Indian artistic traditions remain vital forces, continuously adapting while preserving the technical mastery and symbolic depth that have characterized the subcontinent's artistic output for thousands of years.

     

     

    Explore Canvas & Bronze's Indian art collection spanning ancient bronzes to contemporary craft. Discover how millennia of artistic tradition continue shaping meaningful objects for today's collectors at canvasandbronze.com.