Clay Works: Earthen Sculpture in South Asia

By Susan S. Bean

No Customer Reviews

Until recently, polychrome terracruda (air-dried clay) sculpture has been virtually absent from exhibitions and scholarship on South Asian art history. This is beginning to change.
As early Indic texts and accounts published in the last few centuries attest, this malleable and dynamic medium has played a fundamental role in the region's visual arts.

This boundary-breaking book traces the longstanding interactions between clay, sculptors, and their clienteles; shaping and reshaping religious practices, social formations, and aesthetic values across the region. The first chapter explores the history of terracruda as artistic medium; the following two chapters present long trajectories of practice in the Buddhist Himalayas and the Deccan; and the latter two chapters offer insight into terracruda sculpture's role in cultural transformations-the 18th and 19th-century artistic florescence in Bengal, and British colonial displays of terracruda figures at international exhibitions. Employing an ecological approach that recognizes substances, things, and objects as players in the world, Clay Works celebrates the contributions of clay's supple plasticity and ephemerality and brings a much-needed and timely perspective to South Asian art history.

Format:Hardcover

Language:English

ISBN:1350505048

ISBN13:9781350505049

Release Date:January 2026

Publisher:Bloomsbury Visual Arts

Length:288 Pages

Weight:1.00 lbs.

Dimensions:1.0" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Related Subjects

Art Arts, Music & Photography

Customer Reviews

0 rating

Write a review

ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.

Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ^® and the ThriftBooks ^® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC

Clay Works: Earthen Sculpture in South Asia

Recommended

Customer Reviews

Popular Categories

Website

My Account

Partnerships

Quick Help

About Us

Follow Us