Practice of Sculpting πΏ
Sculpting is a craft built through the combination of many skills, including carpentry, drawing, modelling, smelting, moulding, casting, and finishing. While texts on sculpting describe ratios, scales, and measurements that help guide aesthetic form, the making of sculptures for temples and related settings depends heavily on the artisan’s experience and judgement. While people have studied the practice of sculptors and texts like silpasastiram in detail, the relationship between texts and actual practice of sculptor remains an important area for further study.
Under our sculpture collection, we have brought together both texts on sculpting and documentation of practice, including conversations with practitioners. We have also conducted workshops with bronze sculptors in Swamimalai, whose practice of measures and proportions seemed deeply embodied. Some of these experiences will soon be added to the Storyscape and Research sections.
We welcome contributions of materials, as well as reflections on sculpting as a practice and its relationship to social relations such as caste and the present-day political economy.
-
Sirpa SaastiramThe dimension of this paper manuscript is 27.5 x 24. Contains 31 pages. Incomplete. Preserved in good condition. 20 lines per page. This text deals with the calculation of the construction land, measuring threshold, prescribes rooms to appropriate directions, and predicts fortunes according to the measurement. This text could be used as reference material. -
Sirpa SaastiramContains 163 leaves. 5 lines per page approximately. Incomplete. Readable. Preserved in good condition. This manuscript deals with astrological data, fortunes, calculations with respective diagrams, and chakras.