Art was one of the first things that prehistoric humans did. The Bhimbetka caves in India present one of the first known art pieces of the world. They are roughly 10,000 years old.
India’s legacy of art is multi-dimensional – from everyday items like walls, clothing, cooking vessels, to specialised art pieces, India encompasses art in myriad ways.
MAP – the Museum of Art and Photography, is a museum funded by a private collector – Abhishek Poddar.
He was surprised to note that there is no single authoritative encyclopedia of Indian art. So, he funded an initiative to create such an encyclopedia online.
Online Encyclopedia of Indian Art
The encyclopedia can be accessed at https://mapacademy.io/.
It currently includes over 2000 items, covering dyes, photography, miniature art, masks, clothing, book illustrations, etc. The entries are from the prehistoric era to the modern times.
The Museum of Art and Photography
The main museum website is https://map-india.org/. The main museum also has several online exhibitions, collections, and videos that showcase art pieces from other museums through an initiative called Museums Without Borders.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons