THE EVOLUTION OF INDIAN ILLUSTRATION AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL COMMENTARY: FROM ANCIENT MYTHOLOGIES TO DIGITAL

Abstract

Unravelling from the ancient mythological depiction to the digital narratives of today, the journey of Indian illustration has been long. This paper will show just how, with great care and critical detailing, Indian illustration emerged as a practice in social commentary. From a historical perspective, it entails how illustrators have used their art to mirror and criticize issues in society in a bid to advance social change. The methodology of the research will be a qualitative analysis of historical art pieces, besides the literature review. The objective is to understand Indian illustration as a device for social commentary and its evolution. In essence, the hypothesis is that Indian illustration has faced continuous changeability towards changing social contexts, effectively acting like a mirror and critic of societal dynamics.