Tag Archives: india

Saraswati

Posted on 18/09/2013 by Anu M

Srimati paints in water colours, in what can be termed the classical style……The inspiration for this is the Ajanta cave paintings near Bombay-frescoes dating back to the sixth and seventh century of this era. Sandglass, 1966. Saraswati playing a vina, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s, Art, Asia, Culture, Goddess, Hinduism, Illustration, Japan, Paintings, vintage art | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Vintage Illustration

Posted on 17/09/2013 by Anu M

Gaganendranath Tagore‘s “Respecting Women?” illustration of 1916. (via sotheby’s). Things haven’t changed vastly in a 100 odd years.

Posted in 1910s, Bengal, Early 20th Century, Feminism, Illustration, India, Indian men, Indian Women, Sari, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 1920s Paintings Post

Posted on 30/08/2013 by Anu M

Mazumdar tended to hint at nudity by draping his models in semi-transparent or wet saris, a technique that was later adopted by Indian cinema. Hemendranath Mazumdar‘s naturalistic oils of partially clothed, vaguely erotic looking women were unsurprisingly popular in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, Art, Bengal, Culture, Early 20th Century, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Jewellery, Paintings, Sari, Sari Blouse, Vintage, vintage art, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The colours of Telengana

Posted on 30/08/2013 by Anu M

The vivid colours of Telengana – including turmeric and kumkum on the forehead – in Thota Vaikuntam‘s paintings. Shyam Benegal makes use of the same colour palette in films like Ankur and Nishant. Also [X] [X]

Posted in Art, Culture, Hinduism, Indian Women, Paintings, Rural, Sari, Sari Blouse, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The “Sari Wrap” Post

Posted on 23/08/2013 by Anu M

Judging by portraits in the decade, a sari style like a warp was quite popular in the 1930s. It appears to be wound once so the sari border crosses or falls around the knee and then wound again to drape … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1960s, Indian Cinema, Sari, Sari Blouse, Sari Dress, Vintage Blouse, Vintage Dress, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 18th Century Hunt

Posted on 23/08/2013 by Anu M

Note that in pic 1 (dated about 1775), the couple appear to be forest dwellers.  In most paintings women wear a short skirt of leaves or peacock feathers to indicate the forest setting. But the jewellery here may indicate a … Continue reading →

Posted in 1700s, 1790s, 18th century, 700s, Culture, hunt, Illustration, Indian men, Indian Women, Medieval India, miniature paintings, Royalty, vintae art, vintage art, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Africans in India

Posted on 23/08/2013 by Anu M

Given proximity, its not very surprising that there has been an African presence in India from very early on.  Pakistan for e.g. has a large number of people of African origin, as does Gujarat (the Siddis). As early as in the … Continue reading →

Posted in 16th Century, Africa, Asia, Costume, History, Indian men, Islamic Dress, Men, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Girdle Post

Posted on 16/08/2013 by Anu M

Girdles have been in use in India for a very long time, since possibly the early chalcolithic age. The kanci aka girdle, is often a broad golden belt used to secure the sari to the waist, to which are often … Continue reading →

Posted in Indian Dress, Indian Women, irdle, Jewellery, kanci, lt, ndia, Vintage, vintage fashion, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Art School Post

Posted on 30/07/2013 by Anu M

Two of early 20th century art/dance schools in India, Santiniketan/Viswa Bharati and Kalakshetra were not just involved with a revival of Indian dance and art traditions but were also responsible for a new kind of aesthetic.  Khadi, so intregal to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1980s, Art, Asia, Bengal, Culture, Dance, Early 20th Century, Education, Girls, Indian Dress, Indian History, Indian Women, Sari, Sari Blouse, vintage fashion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Independence Post

Posted on 25/07/2013 by Anu M

One of the most significant influencers of the way we dress in India was the freedom movement, in particular Gandhi’s thoughts on the moral dimension of clothing, the quest for an authentic Indianness and clothing as a unifier of India’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, British Raj, Colonial, Dress Reform, Early 20th Century, History, Independence, India, Indian Dress, Indian Women, Men, Politics, Sari, Sari Blouse, Tumblr, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments