Terracotta, a functional art, is the
first creative expression of civilization. From the common
earthen pot that stores drinking water to the giant-sized
cultic equestrian figures of the rural Tamil deities of
the Aiyyanar cult, terracotta art occupies a central position
in Indian life and culture. It would be a long search
for a village or locality in India where a potter is not
to be found. In the world of Indian terracotta, we find
the shared expression of an entire community. Terracotta
art bears testimony to the varied and ancient traditions
of its practice in India over five millennia. Having always
had their existence outside the rigid rules of the shilpashastras
or the constituted Hindu canons governing artistic expression,
terracotta art enjoys enormous freedom in terms of imagination
and conception. |
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