About Book
This book is a pioneering work, showcasing Christian themes in Indian art from the beginnings of Christianity in India till today. The authors have, in the main, death with paintings and sculptures, but have supplemented this with one chapter on architecture, particularly that of church buildings, and one on popular art, including stamps. Around 1,100 rare colored illustrations make this publication a unique reference book. It is the first complex treatment of the theme done in the last 25 years. Special emphasis is givin to artists who as Hindus, Muslims and Parsees have chosen to paint Biblical themes. Already in the 16th century the encouraging and surprising encounter between European Christian prints and Indian miniature paintings took place. The Muslim Emperor Akbar invited three Jesuit missions from Goa to the Mogul court. Fascinated by European Madonnas and engravings, especially with Christian themes, he ordered his painters to copy them in various ways. This was the start of a revolutionary fusion in Indian miniatures.
Most of the Bengali artists who were chaptered by the human God Jesus and his agony are Hindus like Nandalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Nikhil Biswas, Arup Das, Subhas Roy, Suman Roy, Sudip Roy etc. The authors always give a short biography and then highlight hi/her works connected with the theme. The late Muslim M.F. Husain, whose faceless Mother Teresa pictures became icons, is presented side by side with his close friends, the Hindu Krishen Khanna, the Parsee Jehangir Sabavala, the Hindu artists Satish Gujral, V. Nageshkar, Anjolie Menon, Ramachandran and the Sikh sisters Amrita and Rabindra Daur Singh. The Who is Who of Indian art history is presented from new angle. Christian artists include the late F.N. Souza, who simultaneously hated and loved his Christian childhood God, and artists like A.D. Thomas, Angela Trindade, A Fonseca, V. Masoji, F. Wesley, C.J. Anthony Doss, Alphonso Doss, S. Raj, and J. Sahi, all who stand for the attempt to incorporate the Christian gospel into the Indian culture. This original research includes many young talents. An extensive Bibliography, Glossary and Index make this book a real reference source for many years to come
About Author
Anand Amaladass SJ studied philosophy and Catholic Theology. He took a Master's degree in Sanskrit and a Ph. D. from the University of Madras in 1981. Since 1984, he is teaching at Satya Nilayam Jesuit Faculty of Philosophy in Chennai, now part of the Loyola (Autonomous) College, Chennai. He was Dean of the Faculty and Director of the Research Institute for Philosophy and Sanskrit. Since hi post-doctoral studies at Vienna University, Austria in 1982-1984, he has taught nearly every year as a visiting professor during the summer terms in Vienna. He has also been visiting faculty at the Wurzburg University, Germany and the Gregorian University in Rome. His area of research includes Indian philosophy and religion, aesthetics and interfaith dialogue. More than 40 books have been written or edited by him including a publication on the Dhvani theory in Indian Aesthetics (Vienna, Austria, 1984) and four in the German language on various Hindu gos and goddesses. He has also published around 100 articles in English and in Indian books and Journals. Amaladass was the founder and editor of Satya Nilayama Chennai Journal of Intercultural Philosophy and co-editor of the Journal of Christian Hindu Studies for 20 years.
Gudrun Lowner studied Protestant Theology and comparative religion in Bochum, Wuppertal, Geneva and Heidelberg, Her Ph. D was from Heidelberg University in 1997 after intensive field studies in Sri Lanka. Her thesis has the title Religion and Development in Sri Lanka. She came to India after working in a Centre of Intercultural Encounter in Herne. Her studies were supported by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation in Cologne, Germany. In 2008 she received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for her academic and social work in India. Presently she is on the staff of the Protstant Univeristy of Wuppertal, Germany, Her areas of research include Buddhism, Inda and arts. She has published her thesis and coauthroed with Petra Kaupp a book studded with beautiful pictures on Indian: Schatztruhe Indien (Indian Treasures), New Delhi 2005. Her recent book Christliche Themen in der indischen Kunst (Christian Themes in Indian Art), Frankfurt 2009, is an abridged version of the present volume, which is presented here totally anew together with more than 1,100 rare illustrations.