On the morning of 17th November, we heard the tragic news of the renowned art historian and critic B.N. Goswamy passing away. Professor Emeritus at Panjab University, Brijinder Nath Goswamy has had a significant impact on the academic of Indian art history especially the area of Indian miniature paintings and Pahari Paintings. Acknowledged with multiple honours, such as the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, he has lectured all over the world and organised important exhibitions of Indian art. The author of more than 25 books, his creations cover a wide range of Indian art and culture. Given below is a list of 11 books authored by B.N. Goswamy that one needs to know about in order to get a deeper understanding of the Indian art history scene:
1. The Spirit of Indian Painting: Close Encounters With 101 Great Works 1100-1900
The magnificently illustrated book by India’s foremost art historian, reveals the marvels of Indian painting. The first part of the book provides deep insights and is an enduring educational delight. The second part analyses 101 selected works spanning a millennium, while the introductory essay explores the topics, influences, and techniques of Indian artists.
2. A Secret Garden: Indian Paintings from Porret Collection
“A Secret Garden” explores the rich history of Indian painting, following its development from ancient rock art to contemporary styles influenced by Western concepts from the colonial era as well as Mughal, Tanjore, and Bengal School influences. Curated by collector Danielle Porret, the book features 105 carefully chosen pieces from a private collection and provides an engrossing trip through seven centuries of Indian art, accompanied by incisive articles by famous scholars such as G. N. Goswamy, Jeremiah P. Losty, and John Seyller. It highlights the importance of Indian painting in the international art market.
3. Nala and Damayanti: A Great Series of Paintings of an Old Indian Romance
The 12th-century Sanskrit classic Naishadhacharita, a gripping romance, and the artistic prowess of a gifted Indian painting dynasty from Guler are all skillfully blended in this remarkable sequence of paintings. The series, which was supposed to consist of about 110 paintings depicting the intense love between King Nala and Princess Damayanti, was stopped short, leaving 47 beautiful paintings that are currently kept in the Amar Mahal Museum and Library in Jammu. Even if they are unfinished, the sketches don’t take away from the overall artwork’s charm.
4. The Word is Sacred, Sacred is the Word: The Indian Manuscript Tradition
Exploring India’s rich manuscript traditions, “The Word is Sacred; Sacred is The Word: The Indian Manuscript Tradition” presents the country as a multicultural, heterogeneous society. Showcasing around one hundred priceless manuscripts spanning two millennia, the book highlights the importance of knowledge in the history of Indian culture. Richly illustrated, it provides an extensive overview of India’s literary legacy by drawing from renowned public and private collections.
5. Indian Costumes in the Collection of the Calico of Textiles
The authors of “Historic Textiles of India at the Calico Museum, Vol. V,” B.N. Goswamy and Kalyan Krishna, examine Indian clothing in North and Western India from the 18th to the mid-20th century. There is a collection of sewed clothing, both men’s and women’s, at the Calico Museum of Textiles in Ahmedabad. The volume includes comprehensive measurements and graph patterns for 68 costumes, as well as historical summaries, catalogues, and technical studies. Published in 1993 initially, and republished in 2002 and 2010.
6. The Great Mysore Bhagavata: Complete Study of a Manuscript from the Binney Collection in the San Diego Museum of Art
This manuscript from Mysore, which focuses on the second part of the Bhagavata Purāna, is notable for its comprehensive examination of the sacred text with distinctive illustrations. The story is given a devotional quality by the painters, who demonstrate a deep understanding of the text’s importance. Even though it is restricted to the second part of the tenth book, the manuscript provides followers with an engrossing voyage into a unique world of wonders by vividly describing Krishna’s exploits and presenting fantastical happenings with remarkable imagination and spiritual resonance.
7. Domains Of Wonder
“Domains of Wonder” presents unpublished masterpieces from 1300 to 1900 from the San Diego Museum of Art’s Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of Indian art. The book explores the cultural exchange that gave rise to India’s best art and includes full-colour illustrations accompanied by informative catalogue notes. The introduction explores uncommon historical tidbits, and artistic movements, and offers translations, making it both a scholar’s and enthusiast’s easily readable guide.
8. Conversations: India’s Leading Art Historian Engages with 101 Themes and More
William Dalrymple calls B.N. Goswamy’s compilation “essential reading,” and the author earns high appreciation for it. Goswamy is renowned for his lyrical essence, which reveals the enchanted meaning of art by pulling on a vast reservoir of memories. Renowned personalities praise his wisdom, charm, and deftness in uncovering obscure subtleties, resulting in a multicultural and enlightening investigation of philosophy, art, and history.
9. I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art and Devotion
No one is a Hindu; no one a Muslim.
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, disapproved of societal injustice and superstition in favour of a single, all-encompassing God. He believed in a loving God who was not limited by any one religion. The exhibition catalogues works of art that exemplify Sikh ideas and gives information on their early evolution by the ten Gurus of history, spanning the 16th to the 19th century. The collection offers insight into Sikh devotion amid North Indian cultural influences and consists of paintings, textiles, and metalwork from various collections.
10. Pahari Masters: Court Painters of Northern India
Courtesy: AbeBooks
The book asserts that Pahari painters are talented individuals who are capable of making artistic decisions, challenging the idea that they are faceless craftsmen. Upon its initial German publication, it was widely recognised as a masterpiece, showcasing fourteen Pahari Masters spanning three centuries and analysing their creations from different museums and collectors. By making a groundbreaking and important contribution to the field of Indian painting studies, the writers hope to put a stop to the historical disregard for these painters.
11. Nainsukh of Guler: A Great Indian Painter From A Small Hill State
An academic biography of Nainsukh of Guler, a renowned Himachal Pradeshi painter from the 18th century, is given in this book. With almost a hundred of his works included, it is a priceless find for art lovers, presenting the outstanding output of this well-known creator and providing a thorough understanding of his creative legacy.
