Iconometry

Dr Gift introduced us to iconography and iconometry. He made us read a lot on the subjects. We were made familiar with Indian Taalamaana system by Dr.G.S. It is only after careful analysis of iconometric systems given in various books such as Silparatnam, Kasiyappa Silpa Sastram, Brahmeeya Chitrakarma Sastram, and Saraswathiya Chitra Sastram, we were able to establish the existence of two totally different systems for making sculptures in India. We were puzzled by the way the two systems got intermingled in some canons of iconometry at some point of time. As anticipated, like in any other research, we also got sharp criticisms initially for analysing scientifically the sculptures. But by throwing more and more emphasis on the need for the use of advanced statistical techniques and use of the digital technology, archaeologists, art historians of the country slowly started accepting the findings of the MCC team under the leadership of Dr.G.S. It was a major breakthrough for art historians and archaeologists. Dr.G.S. had visited Mahabalipuram hundreds of times. But he used to say that every time he visited Mahabalipuram, he used to see and learn a new thing from the monuments. He loved the place so much. Indian art form, especially the sculptures, took various forms under different dynasties. To recall a few, the anatomical features of women were depicted very naturally in the sculptures of Pallava period, more ornamentation and exaggeration of features were found in sculptures of Vijayanagar period. The usage of musical rocks and pillars were significant features of Pandya regions. The concept of bronze imaging were popularised during the Chola Period. All these concepts and significance of different periods were systematically taught to us by Prof.G.S..
S. Govindaraju,
Dept. of Statistics,
MCC, Tambaram.

Publications

Iconometry of Pallava sculptures
The Sunday Standard, September 3, 1978 READ
An iconometric study of Pallava sculptures
Kalakshetra Quarterly, Vol. 3 No.2, 1980, pp.7-15
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.) READ
An application of component analysis to the study of South Indian sculptures
STAT-39/79, also in, Computers and Humanities, Vol. 14, pp. 29-37, 1980
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.) READ
Computer analysis of early Chola and Pandya sculptures: An iconometric study
STAT-42/80, also in Proceedings of the Fifth International Tamil Conference held at Madurai in January 1981, pp. 3-7 to 3-16, (with Govindaraju, S. and Bagavandas, M.) READ
An iconometric study of Pallava Somaskandas
Kalakshetra Quarterly, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 31-38, 1982
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.)
Iconometric analysis of the sculptures of the Dharmaraja Ratha
in K.V. Raman et al (eds.), SRINIDHIH, Perspectives in Indian Archaeology and Culture, Shri K. R. Srinivasan Felicitation Volume, New Era Publications, pp. 137-150, Madras, 1983
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.)
Computer analysis of bronze images of South India: an iconometric study
paper presented at the Seminar on History and Archaeology of Tamil Nadu during the Chola Period 850-1250 A.D., Thanjavur, 1984, also in Tamil Civilization, Vol. 3. Nos. 2 and 3 pp. 83-100, 1985
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.)
Cluster analysis of facial proportions of South Indian sculptures
Advances in Information Sciences and Technology, Calcutta (ed Dutta Majumder), Vol. I, pp. 137-146, 1984
(with Govindaraju, S. and Bagavandas, M. and Chandrasekaran, R.)
Temple carvings of Southern India
Perspectives in Computing, Applications in the Academic and Science Community, Vol 5. No.1 Spring 1985, pp. 34-43
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.) READ
Computer analysis of a sample of stone age implements from Madras region
STAT-56/85, (with Govindaraju, S. and Bagavandas, M.) READ
Cluster analysis of iconometric measurement of Hoysala sculptures
Proceedings of International Conference on Pattern Recognition and Digital Techniques, (ed. Dutta Majumder), Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, February 1986
(with Bagavandas, M. and Govindaraju, S.)
Arjuna's penance panel and Trichy cave temple -- an iconometric study
(with Govindaraju S. and Bagavandas M.) STAT-64/87, August 1987