Crispin Branfoot

Department of History of Art and Archaeology, School of Arts

Reader in the History of South Asian Art & Archaeology

School of Arts

Reader in the History of South Asian Art & Archaeology

SOAS South Asia Institute

Academic Staff, SOAS South Asia Institute

Centre for Migration and Diaspora Studies

Member

Centre of Jaina Studies

Member, Centre of Jaina Studies

Name:

Dr Crispin Branfoot

Email address:

crispin.branfoot@soas.ac.uk

Telephone:

020 7898 4450

Fax:

020 7898 4479

Address:

SOAS University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

Building:

Brunei Gallery

Office No:

B311

Office Hours:

Monday 2-3pm or by email appointment

Biography

Dr Branfoot studied Ancient History and Archaeology at Manchester University (BA), and Art & Archaeology at SOAS (MA, PhD). Before joining SOAS in 2006 he was a senior research fellow in South Asian Art and Architecture at De Montfort University in Leicester (2000-5) and museum assistant in the Departments of Eastern Art at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum in London.

Courses Taught

• Art and empire in India 1300-1800
• Arts of the Tamil Temple
• Early Indian Art
• Hindu Art in Medieval India
• The Indian Temple
• Themes in the Art and Archaeology of South and Southeast Asia
• Traditional Art and Modern South Asia

PhD Students supervised

• Atsushi Ikeda, Portraying the Guru: Art and Identity in Sikhism
• Bryony Whitmarsh, 'The Narayanhiti Palace Museum: Memory, Power and National Identity'
• Maeve Nolan, Early Silk Road photography: A case study of how and why Dr. Maynard Owen Williams, Litt. D. (1888-1963) photographed the Silk Road during the Citroen-Haardt Trans-Asiatic Expedition (1931-1932)
• Saachi Sood, Mahabharata Painting in the Punjab Hills: A Study at the courts of Kangra, Guler and Garhwal

Former PhD Students

• Yashaswini Chandra (2011) - Sacred Change: Material Heritage in Cultural Negotiations in the Western Himalayas
• Emma Martin (2014) - Charles Bell's collection of 'curios': negotiating Tibetan material culture on the Anglo-Tibetan borderlands (1900-1945)

Current PhD Students

• Atsushi Ikeda - Guru Nanak and Sikh portraiture
• Jahanara Saigol - Ornament in Lahore: Jahangir, Maryam Zamani and the Mughal language of ornament

Current Research

For help in contacting SOAS academics and advice on services to business and the community, please contact SOAS Enterprise on +44(0)20 7898 4837 or email enterprise@soas.ac.uk.
For all press and media enquiries please call +44 (0)20 7898 4135 or email comms@soas.ac.uk

Available for

• TV
• Radio
• Press
• Briefings
• Special Study Programmes
• Short Term Consultancy
• Long Term Consultancy

Regional Expertise

• South Asia

Country Expertise

• India

Languages

Authored Books

Venkatesan, Archana and Branfoot, Crispin (2015) In Andal's Garden: Art, Ornament and Devotion in Srivilliputtur. Mumbai: Marg Publications.

Taylor, Roger and Branfoot, Crispin (2014) Captain Linnaeus Tripe: Photographer of India and Burma, 1852-1860. Washington: National Gallery of Art and Prestel Publishing.

Branfoot, Crispin (2007) Gods on the Move: Architecture and Ritual in the South Indian Temple. London: British Academy & Society for South Asian Studies.

Articles

Branfoot, Crispin (2015) 'The Tamil gopura: from temple gateway to global icon'. Ars Orientalis, (45), pp 78-112.

Branfoot, Crispin (2013) 'Remaking the past: Tamil sacred landscape and temple renovations'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (76) 1, pp 21-47.

Branfoot, Crispin (2013) 'The Great Chola Temples: Tanjavur, Gangaikondacolapuram and Darasuram'. Sahapedia.

Branfoot, Crispin (2012) 'Dynastic genealogies, portraiture and the place of the past in early modern South India'. Artibus Asiae, (72) 2, pp 323-376.

Branfoot, Crispin (2008) 'Imperial Frontiers: Building Sacred Space in Sixteenth-century South India'. The Art Bulletin, (90) 2, pp 171-194.

Branfoot, Crispin (2007) 'Painting Processions: a Company album from south India'. Orientations, (38) 8, pp 73-78.

Branfoot, Crispin (2006) 'Processions and Presence: Bronze Sculptures from the Temples of Southern India'. Arts of Asia, (36) 5, pp 61-72.

Branfoot, Crispin and Dallapiccola, Anna (2005) 'Temple architecture in Bhatkal and the Ramayana tradition in coastal Karnataka'. Artibus Asiae, (65) 2, pp 253-308.

Branfoot, Crispin (2004) 'The Madurai Nayakas and the Skanda temple at Tirupparankundram'. Ars Orientalis, (33), pp 146-179.

Branfoot, Crispin (2002) '‘Expanding Form’: The Architectural Sculpture of the South Indian Temple c.1500-1700'. Artibus Asiae, (62) 2, pp 189-245.

Branfoot, Crispin (2002) 'Bhima and Purusamirukam in the Nayaka-period Sculpture of Tamilnadu'. South Asian Studies, (18), pp 77-82.

Branfoot, Crispin (2001) 'Mangammal of Madurai and South Indian Portraiture'. East and West, (51) 3-4, pp 369-377.

Branfoot, Crispin (2001) 'Tirumala Nayaka's 'New Hall' and the European Study of the South Indian Temple'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (11) 2, pp 191-218.

Branfoot, Crispin (2000) 'Royal Portrait Sculpture in the South Indian Temple'. South Asian Studies, (16), pp 11-36.

Branfoot, Crispin (2000) 'Approaching the Temple in Nayaka-period Madurai: the Kutal Alakar temple'. Artibus Asiae, (60) 2, pp 197-221.

Branfoot, Crispin (1995) 'Burmese Nats: Wooden Sculpture from the Richard C. Temple Collection'. Eastern Art Report, (4) 2, pp 34-36.

Edited Books or Journals

Branfoot, Crispin, (ed.), (2015) Traditional Arts of South Asia: Continuity in Contemporary Practice and Patronage. London: Saffron Books.

Branfoot, Crispin and Barnes, Ruth, (eds.), (2006) Pilgrimage: The Sacred Journey. Oxford: Ashmolean Museum.

Book Chapters

Branfoot, Crispin (2017) 'Making Space for the Sacred: Hindu Art and Material Religion'. In: Bailey, Greg, (ed.), Hinduism in India: The Early Period. New Delhi: Sage, pp 179-207.

Branfoot, Crispin (2017) 'Later Hindu architecture in the Deccan and south India'. In: Etlin, Richard, (ed.), The Cambridge History of World Religious Architecture. Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press. [Forthcoming]

Branfoot, Crispin (2017) 'Pilgrimage and sacred geography'. In: Etlin, Richard, (ed.), The Cambridge History of World Religious Architecture. Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press. [Forthcoming]

Branfoot, Crispin (2015) 'Temple sculpture in colonial Madurai: The reconsecration of the Minakshi-Sundareshvara temple in the 1870s'. In: Verghese, Anila and Dallapiccola, Anna L., (eds.), Art, Icon and Architecture in South Asia: Essays in Honour of Devangana Desai. New Delhi: Aryan Books International, pp 277-292.

Branfoot, Crispin (2013) 'Imperial Memory: the Vijayanagara Legacy in the Art of the Tamil Nayakas'. In: Verghese, Anila, (ed.), Krishnadevaraya and His Times. Mumbai: K R Cama Oriental Institute, pp 316-344.

Branfoot, Crispin and Dallapiccola, Anna L. (2012) 'Bhatkal's Ramayana Panels'. In: Michell, George, (ed.), Kanara, A Land Apart: The Artistic Heritage of Coastal Karnataka. Mumbai: Marg Publications, pp 58-65.

Branfoot, Crispin (2011) 'In a Land of Kings: donors, elites and temple sculpture'. In: Dallapiccola, Anna L. and Verghese, Anila, (eds.), South India under Vijayanagara: Art and Archaeology. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, pp 249-262.

Branfoot, Crispin (2011) 'Minaksi's wedding: painting the sacred marriage in early modern Madurai'. In: Dallapiccola, Anna L., (ed.), Indian Painting: The Lesser Known Traditions. New Delhi: Niyogi Publications, pp 172-189.

Branfoot, Crispin (2010) 'Iconography and Images: Art'. In: Jacobsen, Knut, (ed.), Brill Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, Vol. II: Texts, Rituals, Arts, Concepts. Leiden: E.J. Brill, pp 536-550.

Branfoot, Crispin (2007) 'South Asia and the Himalayas'. In: Contadini, Anna, (ed.), Objects of Instruction: Treasures of the School of Oriental and African Studies. London: SOAS, pp 68-74.

Branfoot, Crispin (2007) 'Regional Pasts, Imperial Present: architecture and memory in Vijayanagara-period Karnataka'. In: Hardy, Adam, (ed.), The Temple in South Asia. London: British Association for South Asian Studies, pp 105-125.

Branfoot, Crispin (2006) 'Where on Earth is South Asia? Indian art and UK universities'. In: Tatlock, Janet, (ed.), 21st Century Art History - Global Reception. Brighton: Association of Art Historians, pp 11-15.

Branfoot, Crispin (2006) 'Pilgrimage in South Asia: Crossing Boundaries of Space and Faith'. In: Branfoot, Crispin and Barnes, Ruth, (eds.), Pilgrimage: The Sacred Journey. Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, pp 44-79.

Branfoot, Crispin and Allan, James W. (2006) 'Travellers of Faith: Pilgrim Tales'. In: Branfoot, Crispin and Barnes, Ruth, (eds.), Pilgrimage: The Sacred Journey. Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, pp 96-115.

Branfoot, Crispin (1999) 'Tiruchirappalli and the Sacred Island of Srirangam'. In: Michell, George, (ed.), Eternal Kaveri: Historical Sites Along South India's Greatest River. Bombay: Marg Publications, pp 75-88.

Book Reviews

Branfoot, Crispin (2016) 'Review of: Tamara I. Sears. Worldly Gurus and Spiritual Kings: Architecture and Asceticism in Medieval India. (Yale University Press, New Haven and London, 2014).'. The Burlington Magazine, (158) 1354.

Branfoot, Crispin (2016) 'Review of: George Michell, Late Temple Architecture in India, 15th to 19th Centuries: Continuities, Revivals, Appropriations, and Innovations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press (2015)'. Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, (60), pp 146-148.

Branfoot, Crispin (2015) 'Review: Adam Hardy, translations from Sanskrit by Mattia Salvini. Theory and Practice of Temple Architecture in Medieval India: Bhoja's Samaranganasutradhara and the Bhojpur Line Drawings. New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Dev Publishers, 2015.'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (26) 3, pp 520-522.

Branfoot, Crispin (2013) 'Review of Archana Verma, 'Temple Imagery from Early Mediaeval Peninsular India' (2012)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (76) 3, pp 534-535.

Branfoot, Crispin (2012) 'Jennifer Howes, Illustrating India: The Early Colonial Investigations of Colin Mackenzie (1784-1821)(2010)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (75) 1, pp 179-181.

Branfoot, Crispin (2012) 'Jean Deloche, A Study in Nayaka-period Social Life: Tiruppudaimarudur Paintings and Carvings, EFEO 2011'. Journal of the American Oriental Society, (132) 3, pp 512-514.

Branfoot, Crispin (2010) 'Anna Jackson and Amin Jaffer, eds. Maharaja: The Splendour of India's Royal Courts'. Arts of Asia, (40) 3, pp 143-147.

Branfoot, Crispin (2009) 'Indian Islamic Architecture: Forms and Typologies, Sites and Monuments by John Burton-Page, edited by George Michell (2008)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (72) 1, pp 191-192.

Branfoot, Crispin (2009) 'Vijayanagara: Splendour in Ruins, edited by George Michell (2008)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (72) 1, pp 189-191.

Branfoot, Crispin (2008) 'Ebba Koch: The Complete Taj Mahal and the Riverfront Gardens of Agra.'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (71) 1, pp 133-134.

Branfoot, Crispin (2008) 'Indian Temple Sculpture by John Guy (2007)'. Arts of Asia, (38) 1, pp 130-131.

Branfoot, Crispin (2006) 'Hindu Arms and Ritual: Arms and Armour from India 1400–1865. By Robert Elgood.'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (16) 1, pp 95-96.

Branfoot, Crispin (2003) 'Encyclopaedia of Indian Temple Architecture: South India, Drāviḍadeśa, Later Phase c. AD 1289-1798 edited by George Michell, (2001)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (66) 1, pp 105-107.

Branfoot, Crispin (2003) 'The Courts of Precolonial South India: Material Culture and Kingship by Jennifer Howes (2003)'. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, (66) 3, pp 512-513.

Branfoot, Crispin (2002) 'Hindu Art & Architecture by George Michell (2000)'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (12) 1, pp 111-112.

Branfoot, Crispin (2001) 'The New Cambridge History of India: Architecture and Art of the Deccan Sultanates. By George Michell and Mark Zebrowski.'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (11) 1, pp 91-93.

Branfoot, Crispin (2001) 'Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya by Vibhuti Chakrabarti (1998)'. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, (11) 2, pp 300-302.

Branfoot, Crispin (2000) 'The Religious Imagery of Khajuraho by Devangana Desai (1996)'. South Asian Studies, (16) 1, pp 151-152.

Branfoot, Crispin (2000) 'Religious Traditions at Vijayanagara as Revealed Through its Monuments by Anila Verghese (1995) & Sculpture at Vijayanagara: Iconography and Style by Anna L. Dallapiccola & Anila Verghese (1998)'. South Asian Studies, (16) 1, pp 152-153.

Branfoot, Crispin (1999) 'Indian Art Worlds in Contention: Local, Regional and National Discourses on Orissan Patta Paintings, by Helle Bundgaard (1999)'. South Asia Research, (19), pp 198-200.

This list was last generated on Monday, 23rd April 2018, 18:24 Europe/London.