HA 227: Indian Painting
Exam #1 Guidelines
8 October 2002
Your first hour exam is TUESDAY, October 15, in class. It will include all material covered in class up to Thursday, Oct.10. The exam will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and end promptly at 10:45 a.m.

There will be 3 identification essays (10 minutes each) and one longer comparison (20 minutes). There will also be a 5-minute map and/or term quiz.

The comparison will be selected from the list of options below. You will not know until the day of the exam which comparison I will select. The remaining examples on the list--including the comparison slides I don't use--are also considered options for the identification section. So be prepared to write identification essays on all of the examples, whether they are part of a comparison or not.

COMPARE #5 & #7 (Hamza Nama and Harivamsa)
Use these works to describe and analyze the subjects, styles, and ideals of early Mughal art under Akbar, and to discuss Akbar as a patron. Although I want you to analyze these works in detail, do not get stuck on the slides; be sure to provide as broad and informative a historical and stylistic context as possible.

OR

COMPARE #6 & #10 (Akbar Nama and Jahangir Preferring Sufi Sheikh)
Use these slides to discuss the evolution of Mughal painting from Akbar to Jahangir.
What do these works tell us about each ruler, and what do they tell us about the style and subjects of art they patronized? Although I want you to analyze these works in detail, do not get stuck on the slides; be sure to provide as broad and informative a historical and stylistic context as possible.

OR

COMPARE #11 & #21 (Balchand Lovers and Sahibdin Rasikapriya)
Use these slides to discuss the differences between Mughal and Rajput painting, being sure to be specific about what era and styles each represents within their own stylistic category. Pay particular attention to the different aims and ideals of the artists and to the differing world views of the Mughal and Rajput artist (and patrons). How does each artist evoke mood and meaning, and how do those compare and contrast? Although I want you to analyze these works in detail, do not get stuck on the slides; be sure to provide as broad and informative a historical and stylistic context as possible.

EXAMINATION GUIDE
Below is a sample copy of the sort of examination you can expect in this course. Details (i.e., number of identifications and comparisons, amount of time allowed) are subject to change, but this is roughly what you will get.
IDENTIFICATIONS: 3 @ 10 minutes each (15 points each, total 45 points)
• Please identify each slide as fully as possible, including name/subject of work, date and time period, medium, and specific location (if known). **(Yes, you DO need to be specific, and correct)**
• Once you have identified the work, write a short, coherent essay that discusses its most important aspects; these will usually consist of a combination of history, context, meaning/significance, and style. Just describing what you see on the screen is not enough; instead, you need to demonstrate your full understanding of the work, and you need to support your conclusions with reference to the readings and lectures.
• The third slide is an UNKNOWN, meaning that it is a work you have not seen before, but that is similar to something you have seen in class and in your readings. You should identify what you think it is according to the same criteria listed above, and be sure to note what specific work (with full information as above) it resembles. **(As above, identification needs to be as specific and correct as possible)**
COMPARISONS: 1 @ 20 mins ea. (50 points)
• For each comparison, identify the two slides fully as above.
• What periods of history does each example represent? What is important about each example’s place in its relative historical and stylistic context?
• Discuss, in a comparative way, the relationship between the two images. How are these examples similar and how are they different?
• Think about the possible points of the comparison: does the comparison represent a development (historical/stylistic/iconographic) from one thing to another? different versions of a similar subject? similar versions of a similar subject? a divergence in interpretation and style? Why? In what specific details do we see the comparative points exemplified?
• As you address these questions, be sure to also include as much relevant information you feel necessary to fully explain these images. Do not get stuck on the slides--think of the larger picture.
TERMS or MAP: 5 minutes (5 points)