Art and Architecture of Bikaner

Book Details:

• ISBN: 9788129202680
• Author: H. Goetz
• Pages: 298 pp; 126 Plates
• Year of Publishing: 2020
• Binding: Paperback
• Publisher: Cosmo Publications

Description:

Dr. Goetz, as a student of Rajput art, has a long-standing reputation of being a pioneer in the field. Few scholars could tackle the subject of this book: a survey of architecture, sculpture, painting, and industrial arts of Bikaner. These branches of art cover a vast period of time, offering a perplexing variety of types ranging from prehistoric pottery to 18th-century swords and daggers.

Dr. Goetz provides an admirable description of the role the desert played in shaping the popular character of Rajput art. Founded in the late 15th century by a branch of the royal family of Jodhpur, Bikaner soon rose to prominence when its rulers allied with the imperial armies of Akbar and his successors. As the Mughal empire began to fade, the desert environment helped Rajputs become the cultural heirs of a part of the Mughal art tradition.

The Bikaner Fort, which controlled the entire water supply of the region, was completely impregnable, making Bikaner the only Rajput state never captured by the Marathas or any other invaders. As a result, Bikaner became a treasure house for materials and traditions that were otherwise lost or forgotten. This makes Dr. Goetz's work an essential resource for scholars, art lovers, historians, and general readers alike.