Indian Erotica

Rarely has the subject of erotica come under the serious purview of Indian art. Grossly under-represented and misused – as a source of titillation by some; a marketing principle by others – erotica has finally found the focus it deserves with this book. From the earliest terracotta images of the Mother Goddess to tantric diagrams, from palm-leaf paintings to celluloid depictions, from the fine details of miniature paintings to modern art and advertising graffiti, this book covers ground that few have trod. Finding a striking continuity in the motifs used in erotic art, it grounds them in the principles that have shaped brush strokes and line drawings, curvatures and camera focuses down the centuries. The book also studies the currents of globalisation, and the impact of Western art on the modern artist. Varied visuals, some as old as Indian civilization itself, most as sensuous as the topic they cover, chart this ‘voyage’ of rediscovery.