Divine Gesture: The Magnificence of Mewar Spirituality

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Divine Gesture: The Magnificence of Mewar Spirituality is undoubtedly an important art historical document. The book serves as a catalogue for the 308 sculptures that are a part of the collections of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF), Udaipur. What makes this book unique is the fact that there is perhaps no gallery or catalogue that documents an unbroken tradition of sculptures, from the 7th century CE to the 20th century CE, from a specific region. The sculptures present a particular depiction of the magnificence and spirituality of Mewar, drawing from the larger metanarrative of Rajasthan s grand temple-building tradition. The singular iconography and the distinct stylistic and thematic content of the sculptures has been well explored and researched. The bouquet of five distinct essays presents a diverse range of scholarship, with each author bringing a fresh perspective to the art history of the region. The authors have narrated perspectives of art history, iconography, thematics, the very act of temple-building and custodianship. The readers, it is hoped, will be more informed about the region s rich history and its honest sharing of heritage. The book is a tribute to Mewar s sculptures which, till recent times, were relatively unknown and not acknowledged for their grandeur.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alka Pande

Dr. Alka Pande has specialized in the history of art and in critical art theory. She was Head of the Department of Fine Arts in Panjab University, Chandigarh. Her published works include From Mustard Fields to Disco Lights, a book that studied the folk music and performers of Punjab, and Indian Erotica, a serious purview of a genre often trivialized in art studies. Presently an art consultant with India Habitat Centre, Delhi, and curator of their Visual Arts Gallery, Dr. Pande also works as an independent curator and has curated a number of important exhibitions in India and abroad. She was born in Calcutta, but later acquired her academic experience from the universities of London, Delhi, Mumbai, and Chandigarh. Dr. Pande combines her study of the arts with an interest in music and dance, yoga and cooking. She lives in New Delhi with her husband and daughter.