Hindu Art and Architecture

The newest book in this familiar paperback series on world art is a sweeping survey of Hindu architecture and sculpture in India. With only a few examples of the Hindu artworks of Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, it bypasses the artistic glories of Hinduism outside of India, particularly in Cambodia and Indonesia. The book's other notable shortcoming is its relative paucity of two-dimensional works, both the exquisite miniatures that Indian art (both Hindu and Muslim) is renowned for and the lurid popular prints that are such a part of Indian daily life today. That said, Michell (The Royal Palaces of India) has compiled a dense and well-illustrated chronological guide to the development of Hindu architecture and sculpture in many diverse regions of India. With an excellent map featuring all of the sites mentioned in the text, an extensive glossary combined with the index, and a bibliography for further exploration of both art and religion, this book is particularly suited to readers unfamiliar with Hinduism and Hindu art.