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MCQ SUBJECT

Art and Culture

6 UPSC Prelims MCQs tagged "Art and Culture". Free practice with answer keys, explanations, and timed mock tests on Anantam IAS.

Indian Economy 256 Environment 249 Indian Polity 240 Science & Technology 192 History 184 International Relations 104 Art & Culture 94 Geography 82 Indian Geography 70 Indian Society 57 World Geography 36 CSAT 29 Science & Tech 22 Art and Culture 8 Current Affairs 6 General Studies 4

  1. Consider the following statements regarding the decorative art technique known as ‘Pietra Dura’:

    Consider the following statements regarding the decorative art technique known as 'Pietra Dura':

    1. AOnly 1 and 2
    2. BOnly 1 and 3
    3. COnly 2 and 3
    4. D1, 2 and 3
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    Statement 1 correctly describes pietra dura as an inlay technique where cut and polished coloured stones are set into a stone base to form images or patterns. Statement 2 is wrong because the technique is not exclusive to Islamic architecture; it flourished in Renaissance Florence in Italy. Statement 3 is correct, as the Taj Mahal is famous for its lavish pietra dura work, especially its floral motifs.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium

  2. Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Rogan Art’:

    Consider the following statements regarding the 'Rogan Art':

    1. AOnly 1
    2. BOnly 2
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    Statement 1 is wrong because Rogan art did not originate purely in Kutch; it has Persian roots, with the name coming from the Persian word for oil, before taking hold in Nirona village of Kutch. Statement 2 is correct, as master artisan Abdul Gafur Khatri received the Padma Shri in 2019 for reviving and sustaining this craft.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium

  3. Consider the following prominent works of Gujarati literature. What is the common characteristic shared…

    Consider the following prominent works of Gujarati literature. What is the common characteristic shared by all the literary works listed below?

    1. AAll of these books have been adapted into famous Gujarati feature films.
    2. BAll of these books were published prior to India's independence in 1947.
    3. CAll of these books are written by authors who have been honoured with the prestigious 'Jnanpith Award'.
    4. DAll of these books are poetry collections that have received the 'Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak'.
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: C

    Saapna Bhara is by Umashankar Joshi, Dhwani by Rajendra Shah, Malela Jeev by Pannalal Patel and Amrita by Raghuveer Chaudhari, and all four authors are Jnanpith Award laureates. The works span different genres and publication years, so the only shared trait is their authors' Jnanpith honour.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Hard

  4. Consider the following statements regarding the famous Brihadeshwara Temple of Thanjavur:

    Consider the following statements regarding the famous Brihadeshwara Temple of Thanjavur:

    1. AOnly 1 and 2
    2. BOnly 3
    3. COnly 2 and 3
    4. D1, 2 and 3
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    The Brihadeshwara Temple was built by Rajaraja I of the Chola dynasty around 1010 CE, not the Chalukyas, so statement 1 is wrong. Sangam literature predates the 11th-century temple by centuries and contains no description of it, making statement 2 wrong. It is part of the UNESCO-listed Great Living Chola Temples, so only statement 3 holds.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium

  5. Raghu Rai was known for his excellent photographs of which of the following subjects?

    Raghu Rai was known for his excellent photographs of which of the following subjects?

    1. AOnly 1 and 4
    2. BOnly 2 and 3
    3. COnly 1 and 3
    4. DOnly 2 and 4
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: C

    Raghu Rai, a pioneer of Indian photojournalism and a Magnum photographer, is celebrated for documenting the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy and for his photo-book on the Taj Mahal, along with iconic portraits of Mother Teresa and Indira Gandhi. He wasn't known for the India-China War or Kashmir terrorism, so only 1 and 3 are correct.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium

  6. Recently, the festival of Deepawali was inscribed on the UNESCO ‘Representative List of the…

    Recently, the festival of Deepawali was inscribed on the UNESCO 'Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity'. In this context, consider the following statements:

    1. AOnly 1
    2. BOnly 2
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    'Garba of Gujarat' was inscribed on the UNESCO list in December 2023, before Deepawali, so statement 1 is correct. The nodal agency for India's ICH nominations and the national inventory is the Sangeet Natak Akademi, not the Archaeological Survey of India, so statement 2 is wrong.

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    Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium