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Indian Arts And Culture Biography
Shortly after he came to Ceylon Ananda Coomaraswamy visited the famous cave ruins. The visit changed his whole life. He was wonder struck by the artistic splendor of the ruins. He felt impelled to study this magnificent art and explain its beauty and meaning to the rest of the world. He undertook a systematic study of the art of Ceylon over a period of four or five years with the help of his wife. In 1909 his extraordinary work, 'Medieval Sinhalese Art' was published. This book opened the eyes of the West to the East, which the former believed was barbarian.
With the study of Ceylonese art Ananda Coomaraswamy felt impelled to take up the study of Indian art and culture. As his study progressed he found himself in a totally new world. He learnt French, German, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Pali and Hindi. He was already acquainted with Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Persian and Ceylonese. Besides his mothertongue English, he attained scholarship in twelve languages.
In the meantime there friction between him and Ethel Mary. The cause could have been Coomaraswamy's studies. She was young and wanted to go places and enjoy life. But her husband was always immersed in his studies. Their ways were different and a disappointed Ethel Mary went back to her country.
Several months went by and Coomara swamy's studies went on uninterrupted. He also developed on interest in the study of Indian music.During this time he came to know a Ceylonese girl called Ratna Devi. Later he married her.
Coomaraswamy thought of his studies day and night. He was not content to learn only through books. He wanted to visit India and see for him what he had learnt from books.
But he was the Director of Mineralogical Survey, an employee of the Ceylon Government. He held a high and responsible position and much of his time was taken up by his official duties. He resigned his post so that he could pursue his studies.
Even though he was totally involved in his studies Coomaraswamy did not forget the world around him. He worked hard to eradicate the evils in society. He established 'Ceylon Social Reform Society. He started a newspaper called 'Ceylon National Review'.Ananda Coomaraswamy went on a tour of Europe and some of the countries of the East with his wife Ratna Devi. He started a printing press in a place called Broad Campden in England. His book 'Medieval Sinhalese Art' was printed here.
He visited Ajantha and Ellora and rejoiced to see the splendor of Indian art. Now he was personally acquainted with the art of India.Sir George Birdwood was an art critic. He delivered a lecture on Western and Eastern art. He said that in the East artist’s produced pictures and sculptures as works of art but they did not know what beauty was. As an example he spoke of the Buddha figures of the East. "What beauty is there in these? They are like pies made of sawdust."
Ananda Coomaraswamy was both pained and disgusted. He felt that people like Birdwood knew nothing of the origin and development of the arts in the East. They spoke from the point of view of their own country. But many people in the East believed them and learnt to regard their own art through Western eyes. Coomaraswamy felt the injustice of this keenly. The necessity to explicate the eastern arts became clearer.
A little later he wrote the book call 'Origin of the Buddha Image.'
Ananda Coomaraswamy and Ratna Devi traveled back to Ceylon. Soon after a son was born to them. He was named Narada, 'Nara' meaning knowledge and 'da', giver.
This very fact has prompted Mark Twain to describe this country as the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants, and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of hundred nations and hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million Gods.
The complexity and variety is the hallmark of India, which attracts many visitors. This country is replete with traditional art; from calligraphic signs to mural paintings and pillar structures, architecture; from vignette stones to monuments, languages; from Malayalam to Kashmiri, literature; from Geetanjali of Rabindranath Tagore to Vedic epics, music and dance; from folk to classical, philosophy; from rational to spiritual, science; from abstract to the most technical, medicine; Ayurveda, Siddha to music therapy, magic, illusion and such sundry elements of art and culture.
Indian Arts And Culture Biography
Shortly after he came to Ceylon Ananda Coomaraswamy visited the famous cave ruins. The visit changed his whole life. He was wonder struck by the artistic splendor of the ruins. He felt impelled to study this magnificent art and explain its beauty and meaning to the rest of the world. He undertook a systematic study of the art of Ceylon over a period of four or five years with the help of his wife. In 1909 his extraordinary work, 'Medieval Sinhalese Art' was published. This book opened the eyes of the West to the East, which the former believed was barbarian.
With the study of Ceylonese art Ananda Coomaraswamy felt impelled to take up the study of Indian art and culture. As his study progressed he found himself in a totally new world. He learnt French, German, Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Pali and Hindi. He was already acquainted with Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Persian and Ceylonese. Besides his mothertongue English, he attained scholarship in twelve languages.
In the meantime there friction between him and Ethel Mary. The cause could have been Coomaraswamy's studies. She was young and wanted to go places and enjoy life. But her husband was always immersed in his studies. Their ways were different and a disappointed Ethel Mary went back to her country.
Several months went by and Coomara swamy's studies went on uninterrupted. He also developed on interest in the study of Indian music.During this time he came to know a Ceylonese girl called Ratna Devi. Later he married her.
Coomaraswamy thought of his studies day and night. He was not content to learn only through books. He wanted to visit India and see for him what he had learnt from books.
But he was the Director of Mineralogical Survey, an employee of the Ceylon Government. He held a high and responsible position and much of his time was taken up by his official duties. He resigned his post so that he could pursue his studies.
Even though he was totally involved in his studies Coomaraswamy did not forget the world around him. He worked hard to eradicate the evils in society. He established 'Ceylon Social Reform Society. He started a newspaper called 'Ceylon National Review'.Ananda Coomaraswamy went on a tour of Europe and some of the countries of the East with his wife Ratna Devi. He started a printing press in a place called Broad Campden in England. His book 'Medieval Sinhalese Art' was printed here.
He visited Ajantha and Ellora and rejoiced to see the splendor of Indian art. Now he was personally acquainted with the art of India.Sir George Birdwood was an art critic. He delivered a lecture on Western and Eastern art. He said that in the East artist’s produced pictures and sculptures as works of art but they did not know what beauty was. As an example he spoke of the Buddha figures of the East. "What beauty is there in these? They are like pies made of sawdust."
Ananda Coomaraswamy was both pained and disgusted. He felt that people like Birdwood knew nothing of the origin and development of the arts in the East. They spoke from the point of view of their own country. But many people in the East believed them and learnt to regard their own art through Western eyes. Coomaraswamy felt the injustice of this keenly. The necessity to explicate the eastern arts became clearer.
A little later he wrote the book call 'Origin of the Buddha Image.'
Ananda Coomaraswamy and Ratna Devi traveled back to Ceylon. Soon after a son was born to them. He was named Narada, 'Nara' meaning knowledge and 'da', giver.
This very fact has prompted Mark Twain to describe this country as the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants, and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of hundred nations and hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million Gods.
The complexity and variety is the hallmark of India, which attracts many visitors. This country is replete with traditional art; from calligraphic signs to mural paintings and pillar structures, architecture; from vignette stones to monuments, languages; from Malayalam to Kashmiri, literature; from Geetanjali of Rabindranath Tagore to Vedic epics, music and dance; from folk to classical, philosophy; from rational to spiritual, science; from abstract to the most technical, medicine; Ayurveda, Siddha to music therapy, magic, illusion and such sundry elements of art and culture.
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
Indian Arts And Culture
