No. 62.— 1909.] 



PROCEEDINGS. 



293 



century, showing two figures in illustration. He next referred 

 to a school of miniature water colour painters in the days of the 

 Moghuls, and exhibited some pictures of their work in which there 

 was much tenderness and refinement. He finally alluded to the 

 work of Mr. Tagore, the well-known Bengalee painter and his two 

 pupils, and showed some of their work. 



3. The President invited remarks from members present. 



4. Mr. Pieris said that the silence that followed the end of 

 the lecture was the most worthy tribute to Dr. Coomaraswamy. 

 It was an acknowledgment that all were prepared to join in. 

 There was no one in that hall competent to express an opinion 

 on the subject. They could only sit at the feet of the master and 

 go home and realize how ignorant they were of their own country. 

 Dr. Coomaraswamy had pointed out to them what they were 

 turning their backs on what was in front of them. He was 

 going to a larger sphere. They regretted it, but they could not 

 grudge India having Dr. Coomaraswamy. 



5. Mr. A. E. Roberts and Suriyagoda Stjmangala Terttn- 

 nAnse also offered some remarks. 



6. The President said they would be wanting in their duty 

 if they forget to thank Dr. Coomaraswamy heartily for having 

 come there and favoured them with his lecture. As Mr. Pieris 

 had said, there was no one there competent to criticise the lecture 

 effectively. All they could do was to take inspiration from it. 

 He moved a cordial vote of thanks to the lecturer. 



7. The Hon. Mr. P. ArtjnAchalam proposed a hearty vote of 

 thanks to the President, which concluded the proceedings of the 

 Meeting. 



APPENDIX. 



Dr. CoomAraswAmy on Indian Art.* 



The learned author of the standard work on ' ' Mediaeval Sinhalese 

 Art" dealt altogether admirably with the historical side of Indian 

 Art from the earliest known periods of which there are any 

 survivals. He showed in considerable detail the influence of the 

 various vicissitudes attending the great races that have inhabited 

 Hindustan. Further, there was a vast deal that was well reasoned 

 in his theory, which pervaded the whole lecture, that it was 

 practically impossible for Westerners properly to appreciate the 

 merits of the successive schools of art that have prevailed through 

 the course of Indian history. Their conception of religion, in 

 which lies inspiration of art in any country, has been different 

 from that of the West from time immemorial ; and in so far as the 

 inner meaning of art is concerned, it is undeniable that Europeans 



* Ceylon Observer, May 15, 1909. 



