Category Archives: Paintings

All About Hair

I had a bit of a meandering look at the history of hairstyles in India on tumblr and as always this post collates it on wordpress. curnakuntala (Sanskrit): locks or ringlets hair style. alaka-avali (Sanskrit): hair arrangement in spiral locks … Continue reading

Posted in 1600s, 16th Century, 1700s, 17th century, 1800s, 18th century, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Ancient India, Art, Asia, Bengal, Bollywood, Colonial, Contemporary Style, Culture, Dance, Dancer, fashion, Flowers, Hair, historical fashions, historical hairstyles, History, indian art, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Jewellery, Medieval India, miniature paintings, Old Bollywood, Paintings, regional styles, retro, retro hair, Sanskrit Literature, Sculpture, Sets, Tamil, Tumblr, Vintage, vintage hair, vintage jewellery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Buddhism Post

I had done this set of posts starting on Buddha Purnima on tumblr but it’s taken me till now to collate it on WP.  In some ways posts are more coherent on WP so despite the delay here it is.  … Continue reading

Posted in 1880s, 1900s, 1940s, 1990s, Ancient India, Art, art recreation, Asia, Buddhism, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Early 20th Century, East Asia, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, History, Illustration, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Japan, Late 19th century, Paintings, Philosophy, Religion, Sanskrit Literature, Sari, Sri Lanka, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The North-East Post

This doesn’t cover all the North Eastern states of India neither is it chronological or thematic. Rather it’s a North East sampler that includes a fair bit of dance forms in the North-East. The components of the Manipuri dance costume … Continue reading

Posted in 1900s, 1950s, 20th century, Accessories, Art, Asia, Costume, Culture, Dance, Dancer, Early 20th Century, fashion, Folk Dance, Girls, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Textiles, Indian Women, Jewellery, North East, North East India, Paintings, photodivision, Photography, regional styles, retro, retro fashion, Tribal, Vintage Blouse, vintage costume, vintage fashion, vintage hair, vintage jewellery, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Islamic Dress Post

When you think of Muslim influenced fashion in India you think of anarkalis, gauzy dupattas, tight churidars, a North Indian style that has a tremendous grip on the popular imagination not least because of Hindi movies. While the Mughals with … Continue reading

Posted in 1900s, 1920s, 1940s, 19th century, 20th century, Accessories, Art, churidar kameez, Colonial, Costume, Culture, Deccan, Dress Reform, dupatta, Early 20th Century, Family, fashion, Girls, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Islamic Dress, Islamic style, Literature, Mughal, Paintings, Photography, Postcards, regional styles, Religion, retro, retro fashion, Salwar Kameez, Sari, Sari Blouse, South India, Vintage, vintage art, vintage costume, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, vintage photography, vintage sari, Women | 3 Comments

The Food Post

The iconography of Annapurna is given in the Agamas as a youthful goddess of red complexion having a face round like moon, three eyes, high breasts; the left hand carrying a vessel set with rubies and containing honey, and the … Continue reading

Posted in 16th Century, 17th century, 18th century, 1910s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 19th century, Ancient India, British Raj, Colonial, historical art, historical costume, indian art, Indian Cooking, Indian Literature, Indian men, Indian Women, Medieval India, Mughal India, Paintings, Sanskrit Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

वसन्त ऋतु – Spring

It’s spring in India. And while the illustration above* is all mildness and white (and indeed the kunda finds mention in a lot of Sanskrit spring poetry) the flowers of spring that are emblematic of the season are quite red … Continue reading

Posted in Ancient India, Art, Asia, Contemporary, Costume, Culture, Flora, Flowers, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, History, Illustration, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian Illustrators, miniature paintings, Paintings, Poetry, Sanskrit, Sculpture, South India, Vintage, vintage art, Vintage Blouse | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Mughals-1

It’s probably accurate to say that an indigenous form of the Islamic clothing brought in by the Mughals (a mix of Turkish and Persian influences) took shape during the reign of Akbar and Jahangir.  This period also sees the style … Continue reading

Posted in 1600s, 1610s, 1620s, 16th Century, 17th century, Art, churidar kameez, Costume, Culture, Deccan, Dress Reform, dupatta, fashion, ghaghra, historical art, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, History, India, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian History, Indian men, Indian Women, Islamic Art, Islamic Dress, Islamic style, Mughal, Paintings, Royalty, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Shawl Post

The blue shawl first, a canopy of blue, The Face, Conrad Aiken New Kangra Painting and Girl with Blue Shawl by Wink Willett.

Posted in 21st century, Accessories, Asia, Contemporary, Contemporary Style, Costume, Culture, fashion, Girls, historical art, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Women, Paintings, Photography, Sets, winterwear, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Christmas Post

Merry Christmas to everyone and happy holidays! Watercolour by Manishi Dey.

Posted in 1960s, 20th century, Art, Asia, Bengal, Costume, Culture, ghaghra, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Paintings, regional styles, vintage art, Vintage Dress, vintage sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Winter Post

Like śiśira, there is an abundance of snow, the sun shines weakly – resembling the moon – and those who can stay indoors, preferably with their lovers*. It is the season to stay home, curl up alone or with family … Continue reading

Posted in 1800s, 19th century, Art, Asia, Costume, Culture, dupatta, Early 19th century, fashion, ghaghra, historical costume, historical dress, historical fashions, indian art, Indian Dress, Indian fashion, Indian Illustrators, Love, miniature paintings, Paintings, regional styles, Royalty, vintage art, vintage style, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment