From the dawn of Buddhism to the present day, art and visual culture have played a central role in how India is imagined both within the country and beyond.  The visual landscape of India is punctuated by the iconic images of gods and goddesses, the architectural expressions of Islam, and the legacy of the colonial rule.  Through an interdisciplinary but historically rooted approach, this course addresses Buddhist and Hindu art, the art patronage of both Mughal and sub-imperial courts and will conclude with a discussion of artistic practice under colonial rule through to India’s independence in 1947.