Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c7.54

c7.54

Among the other great works which this age produced were the sculptures of Ellora and Elephanta, the frescoes of the Ajanta school, and the splendid paintings recently unearthed by Professor Grünwedel and Dr. von Lecoq, which will throw a new flood of light upon the art-history of Asia. It was the golden age of Indian literature, made famous by the noble Hindu epics, the Râmâyana and Mahâbhârata, by *Sakuntala* and other masterpieces of the Sanskrit drama. It reached its culminating point about the time when Sankaracharya, the great Hindu philosopher and religious reformer, lived, or about the eighth century; and the first Muhammadan invasions of India ushered in its close. From this period, though Indian art continued to grow and flourish on Indian soil, it ceased to have much influence on the outside world until the palmy days of the Mogul Empire.