History

The Changing World of Visual Arts

Question:

Describe in your own words one painting from this chapter which suggests that the British were more powerful than Indians. How does the artist depict this?

Answer:

In the painting ˜The Aurial and Dashwood Families of Calcutta', painted by Johann Zoffany, you see Thomas Dashwood and Charlotte Lousia Aurial entertaining guests. There are various Indian servants serving tea. The British are seen seated or standing regally in a sprawling lawn. The Indians are shown as submissive and inferior to the British. They are placed in the back ground. Thus the picture suggests that the British were more powerful than Indians.

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The Changing World of Visual Arts

Q 1.

Why did some artists produce cheap popular prints? What influence would such prints have had on the minds of people who looked at them?

Q 2.

Describe the paintings done by Robert Ker Porter on the battle of Seringapatam.

Q 3.

What were the three categories of Imperial Art?

Q 4.

In what way did the British history paintings in India reflect the attitudes of imperial conquerors?

Q 5.

What were ˜company Paintings'?

Q 6.

Why do you think some artists wanted to develop a national style of art?

Q 7.

Point out which of the following were brought in with British art:
(a) oil painting (b) miniatures (c) life-size portrait painting (d) use of perspective (e) mural art

Q 8.

Write a brief note on Kalighat paintings.

Q 9.

Give a brief sketch of Thomas Daniell and his paintings.

Q 10.

Describe European artist's style.

Q 11.

1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The art form which observed carefully and tried to capture exactly what the eye saw is called _________.
(b) The style of painting which showed Indian landscape as a quaint, unexplored land is called _________.
(c) Paintings which showed the social lives of Europeans in India are called _________.
(d) Paintings which depicted scenes from British imperial history and their victories are called _________.

Q 12.

What are miniature paintings?

Q 13.

Why did the scroll painters and potters come to Kalighat? Why did they begin to paint new themes?

Q 14.

Describe in your own words one painting from this chapter which suggests that the British were more powerful than Indians. How does the artist depict this?

Q 15.

Why can we think of Raja Ravi Varma's paintings as national?