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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XXI. 



The much commoner (because easier) tests of archaeological and 

 anatomical accuracy indicate a confusion of the aims of art with 

 those of science ; and would rule out not a little of the finest 

 European art, including many " Old Masters." At the same time 

 I do not agree with you in thinking that Indian artists of the best 

 period failed to attain to an exceedingly high level of technical 

 efficiency. In conclusion, I must apologise for again intruding 

 upon your valuable space. — Yours, &c, 



A. K. CoomAraswAmy. 



[We regret we were under a wrong impression as to the reason 

 why specimens of Art in Ceylon were shown. We should not 

 insist on anatomical accuracy in drawings as essential, were the 

 da Vinci standard in a great degree realized by any picture ; 

 but when the anatomical inaccuracy in Indian art is so great as to 

 achieve a positive distoration, the distraction is too great and the 

 art fails to be great, or, in our view, true art at all. — Ed., C. 0.] 



Indian and European Art.* 



Dear Sir, — Dr. CoomAraswAmy is riding this theory of the 

 beautiful in Oriental sculpture and painting to death. You did 

 well to point out. the defects of much in Indian lines. It is so 

 easy to work oneself up into a frenzy about " Indian Art " — its 

 "artistic thought" and "wonderful charm " — if you make up 

 your mind to ignore " anatomical inaccuracy " and other deficien- 

 cies. Some of the Northern Indian figure sculpture — Gandhdra to 

 wit — where the Greek influence is so marked is splendid. On the 

 other hand to my mind the ordinary ruck is miserable, save 

 occasionally for a quaint and not unpleasing grotesqueness. 

 No doubt Dr. Coomaraswamy will explain this away by 

 "degeneracy," &c. ; and the poorness of most Ceylon work at 

 least demands some such excuse from him. It is the fashion 

 for " Orientals" to waive us poor " Westerners " loftily away with 

 the pitying remark that we cannot possibly from our upbringing 

 enter into the " soul " of the East ! Surely it cuts both ways. Our 

 notions of true art may never strike these Indian dreamers and 

 faddists. Dr. Coomaraswamy ("Indian Craftsman," p. 73) 

 writes : — " Beauty, rhythm, proportion, idea, have an absolute 

 existence on an ideal plane, where all who seek may find.'''' Would 

 that it were so ! ? " The reality of things exists in the mind, 

 not in the detail of their appearance to the eye." To the " man 

 in the street " it does not matter a straw what may have been in 

 the artist's mind, if he has not reflected it in his work. 



It may interest Dr. Coomaraswamy to learn that the Clarendon 

 Press Directors have commissioned that past -master in Northern 

 Indian antiquities, Mr. Vincent A. Smith, I.C.S., to write a 

 standard work on " Indian and Ceylon Art." — I am, &c, 



Westebner, 



* Ceylon Observer, 1909. 



