Art imitating life...Or is it the other way around?

Emanuel · 27th April 2012, 05:31 AM

Hello,

In European mediaeval illuminations we often find nearly identical scenes in widely different contexts and different places. Consider that at some point some depictions become iconic and subject to considerable copy. Either one of your paintings might have copied one another, or more likely both were interpretations of a common painting. So it's not necessarily that they are two renditions of the same event as seen by different artists, but they are renditions of a common illustrations, perhaps from an important original.

If Indian art and monasticism worked anything like in Europe, then one cultural/political/religious centre would have had an original depiction of this particular event. That depiction was subsequently either studied and copied by artists from other centres, or it was lent out to those centres for further copy and re-interpretation. A few central images and themes would remain, the rest subject to artistic license.

Emanuel

Richard G · 27th April 2012, 12:08 PM

Off topic, I know, but I hope it gets through.
Several years ago I was at a viewing of "Arts of the Indian and Islamic World" at a major London saleroom. I was admiring a rare Khurassan brass ewer (12th Century, estimate +/- £100K!) with a couple of other people and the saleroom assistant when we were joined by a VERY well and expensively dressed Indian gentleman, I would guess in his mid thirties.
The assistant expounded on the ewer, "and here you can see, inlaid in silver, the prince and his courtiers out hunting; here is the prince; here is his falconer and falcon; here are his salukis and here are his hunting cheetahs".
The Indian gentleman nodded, " very nice, very nice indeed. I have two at home"
The saleroom assistant, "Really? two khurassan ewers ! "
The Indian gentleman, "No, two cheetahs."

A true story.

27th April 2012, 12:08 PM	#2
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 409	Off topic, I know, but I hope it gets through. Several years ago I was at a viewing of "Arts of the Indian and Islamic World" at a major London saleroom. I was admiring a rare Khurassan brass ewer (12th Century, estimate +/- £100K!) with a couple of other people and the saleroom assistant when we were joined by a VERY well and expensively dressed Indian gentleman, I would guess in his mid thirties. The assistant expounded on the ewer, "and here you can see, inlaid in silver, the prince and his courtiers out hunting; here is the prince; here is his falconer and falcon; here are his salukis and here are his hunting cheetahs". The Indian gentleman nodded, " very nice, very nice indeed. I have two at home" The saleroom assistant, "Really? two khurassan ewers ! " The Indian gentleman, "No, two cheetahs." A true story. Last edited by Richard G; 27th April 2012 at 12:52 PM.

27th April 2012, 05:31 AM	#1
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello, In European mediaeval illuminations we often find nearly identical scenes in widely different contexts and different places. Consider that at some point some depictions become iconic and subject to considerable copy. Either one of your paintings might have copied one another, or more likely both were interpretations of a common painting. So it's not necessarily that they are two renditions of the same event as seen by different artists, but they are renditions of a common illustrations, perhaps from an important original. If Indian art and monasticism worked anything like in Europe, then one cultural/political/religious centre would have had an original depiction of this particular event. That depiction was subsequently either studied and copied by artists from other centres, or it was lent out to those centres for further copy and re-interpretation. A few central images and themes would remain, the rest subject to artistic license. Emanuel