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RUPAM n

A JOURNAL OF ORIENTAL
ART

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 RUPAM An Illustrated

Quarterly Journal of Oriental Art

Chiefly Indian

Edited by
ORDHENDRA C. GANGOLY
FOR THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF ORIENTAL ART, NO. 12, SAMAVAYA
MANSIONS, HOGG STREET, CALCUTTA

No. 11

July 1922

EDITORIAL OFFICE: No. 7, OLD POST OFFICE STREET

CALCUTTA, INDIA
 Ill
no .11

Printed by THACKER. SPINK, & CO., CalcoWa

And
PuUished by O. C. GANGOLY

No. 7, Old Post Office Street. Calcutta

 EDITOR'S NOTE.
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or correspondents. And the publication of a contribution or correspond-
ence shall not necessarily imply the identification of the Editor with the
views and opinions expressed in such contribution or correspondence.
The Editor will welcome proposals for articles, provided that they are
typewritten, or quite easily legible ; he can, however, lise only articles
written by those who have a real knowledge of the subjects tre{>t:ed, and
has no use for articles which are compiled from other works or r/nich con-
tain no original matter.

A stamped and addressed envelope must accompany all manuscripts,

of which the return is desired in case of non-acceptance. Every care will
]^e taken of manuscripts, but copies should^ be. k^t, &« the ^£<^tor can in
xxo case be responsible for accidental loss.
« •
^

All photographs intended for publication should be printed on albu-

Ionised silver papery and preferably on shiny bromide paper.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Rupees sixteen annually. Post free,
rupees seventeen, in India; Foreign, rupees eighteen. Single copy, rupees
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Price Rs. 36. Very few sets available.
 CONTENTS.
Page
*=-!. A Tibeto-Nepalese Image of Maitreya • .. ... ... 73
II. Irdian Sculpture. By Eric Gill, O.S.D. (London) ... .. ... 74
III. Exhibition at the Government School of Art. By Agastya (Canopus) ... 76
IV. Indian Art in Europe. By Dr. S. Kramrisch (Santi-niketan).. ... 81
V. Indian Columns. By Dr. P. K. Acharya (Allahabad) ... ... 86
VI. A Visit toaSaint: "Chhari Shahmadar" ... ... ... 89
VII. Notes on Raginis. By Kannoomal (Dholepur) ... ... ... 91
VIII. Exhibition of Indian Arts and Crafts ... ... ... ... 99
Reviews ... ... ... ... ... 101

Notes ... ... ... ... ... 107

All Rights of Translation and Reproduction are strictly reserved.

 I—A TIBETO-NEPALESE IMAGE OF MAITREYA.
border of the dhoti are very well known
EVER since the early days of Mahayana,
the worship of Maitreya (Tibetan, features of a period of the Nepalese school.
byantM-pa ; Chinese, mi-lo-fo) —the But the necklace and the baj us on the upper
—
Buddhist Messiah has been a very popular arms offer here two very unique designs.
cult. Indeed he is the recipient of homage The latter bears an intricate design of hansa-
equal to, if not more than, the Founder mithuna, a pair of swans interlocked at the
of Buddhism himself. li is believed necks which are well known in earlier
that Sakya-muni visited Maitreya in Buddhist ornamnents. In the necklace we
Tushita heaven and appointed him have a pair of peacocks which are introduced
as his successor, as the next Buddha with lot of life and charm. The tiara with
to come to earth and to establish five jewels are carved with conventional
the *
dharma
again in its purity after it
' ornaments specialised in Nepal. But the
was forgotten by a degenerate world. His effect of the elaborate decorations unhappily
worship was at its height, in the days of tends to overshadow the rhythmic and
Fa-Hian's visit to India. His image figures passionate gesture of the trunk. There is a
amongst the earliest of the Gandhara sculp- very significant movement emanating almost
tures, where he is depicted as an Indian prince from the navel, which inclines for a time to-
with all the Bodhisattva ornaments, and can wards the left and graduaJly recover^ iis
be already differentiated by his symbol of poise, coming to a halt, as it were, at the
the vase of nectar (amrita'kalasa) though neck, where the head slightly mcved to the
his other symbol of the naga pushpa is yet right, slowly descends on the shoulders in
wanting. In the earlier type he is generally exquisite equilibrium. It is a variation of
represented as standing with the vase in the what is technically known as the avanga
left hand. The Chinese images are general- pose, and is a very characteristic and originsd
ly standing ones, though there are examples device of Nepalese sculptors. To very fine
in some of the Chinese caves which are aesthetic qualities the example offers another
seated in the European fashion. The Mongo- interest in its inscriptions on the lotus
lian specimens represent the image as pedestal. The one claims it as a Nepsdese
seated with the legs closely locked (padma- product and the other claims it for Tibet
sana) and are probably derived from the We have attempted to meet both the claims
Nepalese and the Tibetan models. by characterizing the figure as a Tibeto-
As an example of the Nepalese tj^je, the Nepalese specimen. We have more than
copper gilt figure of Maitreya reproduced in once commented on the fact that out and out
the frontispiece is of singular interest. It Nepalese images are labelled and described
belongs to the most elaborately ornamented in many museums as Tibetam works, and the
type of copper scidpture of seventeenth and whole relation of Tibetan to Nepalese Art has
eighteenth century Nepal, and approximates been misunderstood or deliberately ignored.
to the style of the best specimens of Tara The Lamaistic School was the result of a
well laiown to collectors of Nepalese Art. direct pupilage 'to the Nepalese tutors;
Besides the ordinary symbols of the vase and and although it developed many spe-
the champa flower, we have an additional cial —
features the groundwork of the
attribute of the skin of the antelope. The Nepalese style was always a staple part
urna on the forehead is in oblong form. The of all Tibetan work. Evidences are now
two hands are in the attitude of the vitarka pointing to the fact that many Nepalese
(argument) and i;ara (charity). Possibly images must have been made to order for
this was the attitude in which Maitreya the use of Tibetan worshippers. The two
taught the Arhats in Tushita heaven. The inscriptions on this image in the Newari and
elaborate ornaments richly set with jewels Tibetan characters may well bear out our
which even figure on the decoration of the suggestion. If the image was meant for
 — —

74

a Nepalese temple the Tibetan inscription Translation:

would be useless. The verse in honor of ' Having heard the August Word of the Great
Maitreya must have been translated long
Loving One Himself
ago in Tibetan; and the Nepalese inscription
must be taken to indicate the Nepalese Promising rebirth face to face to the Loving
One,
authorship of the image.
By the courtesy of Mr. Johan van I pray to the auspiciously marked Embodiment
Manen, we are able to furnish a reading of a of the Loving One,

portion of the inscription in Tibetan: With reverend faith because of remembrance

" [Byams pahi] drung du skye bo Zhes ||
of the Loving One
Byams Chen nyid kyi gsungs thos nas {|
With remembrance of the fatherly k>ve of the
Byams Idam bu hdren rgyal la yis
||
Loving One
Byams pa pha mahi bkah drin dran|{

Byams pa dran pahi mos gus kyis

||
Of Him Who guides His sons, the Illustrious
Byams pahisku gzugs mtshan [Ldon shog] " Loving One.'

II.— INDIAN SCULPTURE.

By ERIC GILL.

THE art of
L^sed
Sculpture as formerly prac-
by the peoples of India is, in
are artists and that were we not artists we
should be as indifferent in the matter as they
epitome, an exhibition of all that are. It is supposed that as the cocoa manu-
British Rule, there, as in Elngland, has inevi- facturer wages war against the drinking of
tably destroyed. This may be for many a beer because he may thus hope to increase
matter for considerable rejoicing, for, like the sales of his cocoa, and it is not to be sup-
the Romans in their decline and for that posed that he can have any other motive, so
matter, as it seems, throughout the whole of the artist wages his ' forlorn hope ' against
their history, the British people, though miti- commercialism because thus he may hope to
gating its appetite for commercial power by increase the sales of works of art. The fact
a sense of justice and fair-play, is almost 's, however, that we are artists, because we

totally blind to any absolute value in either believe in Beauty and not that we believe in
Beauty or Goodness or Truth. Beauty because we are artists.
Admirable as it may appear to be in What then is this Beauty in which we
many of its achievements, a civilization sub- —
believe what is its value and, as regards
mitting to the widespread and predominant the subject of this essay, what is the value
use of mechanical contrivances, whose sole of Indian Sculpture? Beauty proceeds from
claim to existence lies in the fact that by Goodness and Truth. Beauty is that order
their means things can be made in greater in things which is intuitively perceived to be
quantity than otherwise for the same expen- in itself both Good and True. The Good is
diture of time and money, is a civilization what God wills. The True is what God
wilfully denying itself the possession of knows. The Beautiful is the form deter-
things of Beauty and destroying in itself mined by that will and that knowledge. To
both the power to produce such things and discover God's will is the business of the
the ability to recognize them when they are Moralist. To discover God's knowledge is
produced. the business of the philosopher. To discover
Those of us who are concerned for the the enevitable form of that which is both
existence of Beauty in the world are often good and true is the business of the artist
accused, by so-called practical men of busi- whether he be basket-maker or sculptor.
ness, of a lack of disinterestedness. It is And as Goodness is not to be confused
supposed that we desire Beauty because we with convenience or Truth with hypothesis
 75

so Beauty is not to be confused with loveli- Europe. We are blind to the Beauty in the
ness. Beauty absolute, loveliness relative.
is drawings of children, we see nothing in them
The lovely is that which is or represents the but the quaint and ingenuous. We find no
lovable. The lovely is lovable relatively to value in anything unless we can weigh it hi
our love of it Beauty is absolute and inde- the scales of human comfort. Thus we s&y
pendent of our love. God is beautiful that an unhappy marriage is no marriage
whether we love him or do not; but the taste and that an unpleasant thought cannot be
of an apple is lovely only if we taste it and true. Whereas, God is just as well as merci-
love the taste. " Avalokitesvara " ^is beau- ful and what God has joined cannot be put
tiful with an absolute Beauty. Aportrait asunder.
of a lady is lovely because it portrays that So in this matter of Indian Sculpture we
kind of woman who is lovable to those who say that because few men have more tham
love that kind of woman and in that kind of two arms, therefore an idol with ten arms is
attitude, which is charming to those who are —
ugly forgetting or not knowing that veri-
charmed by it. similitude has no necessary connection with
Beauty is therefore a thing of religious either Beauty, Goodness or Truth. say We
significance, ineffable, independent of fashion because, from the point of view of marrying,
or custom, time or place, and not to be judged a woman with a figure like that of the Venus
by the material criteria of a commercial de Medici is more desirable, therefore the
civilization orby the threadbare culture of wide-hipped, glove-breasted images of Patti-
an irresponsible governing class. ni are necessarily ugly, bad and false. We
Now for the Sculpture of India we may go to a game
of football and bleune the play,,
claim at once that it is, genersdly and as op- ers for infringing upon the rules of cricket.
posed to modern European sculpture, the We apply the standard of a mechanical and
work of men, who believed in the absolute godless commercialism to wr.rks which are
value of Beauty. It is the work of men who both man-made and godly.
regarded Beauty not merely as a thing minis- We can, however, claim the quality ol
tering to man's comfort and pleasure, but inconsistency for we have not hitherto to
as a thing having a value utterly independ- any large extent denied the worth of any but
ent of any pleasure it might give to men or imitative music, though the modern develop-
of any power it might have of making hu- ment of programme music may very likely
man life endurable. lead us to do so, and we do not as a rule insist
It is not to be denied that works of art that all words shall be onomatopoetic.
do in fact give pleasure and do in fact make But how can we see that in which we do
life endurable, it is only to be denied that such not believe and what would be the good if we
giving is primarily the function of the artist. could? The connoisseur's appreciation leads
Nor is it to be denied that such works nowhere but to an aesthetic snobbery, to the
as those of the Indian sculptors are pleasing. apotheosis of the dealer in works of art and
It is only because of their denial of the abso- to the filling of our museums. Such apprecia-
lute value of Beauty that English people do tion does nothing to stem the tide of destruc-
not as a rule find pleasure in them.
become so accustomed to regard the artist
Wehave tion —the destruction not merely of things
—
of Beauty ^^that is comparatively unimport-
merely as a purveyor of the lovable the — —
ant such appreciation does nothing to re-
priest as a moral policeman — the philosopher create in the people that attitude of mind in
as a sort of " young man's guide to know- which alone Beauty is credible and to recreate
—
ledge " that we are incapable of viewing in the life of the people those conditions under
justly the work of men who regard the artist, which alone the production of things of
the priest and the philosopher as prophets of Beauty is possible.
God. However, the appreciation or deprecation
Nor is it only the works of Eastern and of Indian Sculpture or of any other sculpture
of alien peoples that we view thus unjustly. or of any artistic productions is now a matter
We do the same injustice to the work of pre- of very little importance, for any attempt
renaissance and post-impressionist artists in to obtun either is in effect locking the stable
 —

76

after the departure of the horse. All the none the less surely, though the Church is not
best sculptures of India are old and most of directly concerned for the existence of either
them are broken. Nothing is now being pro- Beauty or works of art.
duced except more or less insipid copies. Our He who would save his life must lose
own, of ecclesiastical images are like the it, and it is not for any material advantage

bazaars of India and can now show nothing that we must build the dyke against commer-
new that is not either frankly bad or simply cialism. We must rediscover that Poverty,
the product of the gradually lessening mo- Chastity and Obedience are, for men and wo-
mentum of the traditions of the past. men in the world as much as for religions, the
The business then of reformers and of only permanent foundations upon which to
revolutionists is to give up shedding tears build the kingdom which is not of this world.
over the lost horse of mediaeval Europe or And we must find again the truth that Beauty
—
of any kind of ancient India the broken is, even in its most humble aspect, not the ex-

cathedral of Rheims is only a material and pression of man's love for man but of man's
more than usually obvious symbol of what love for God, that it is as an oblation and,
commercialism, whether German or British, however, unconsciously, as an act of worship
must —
inevitably effect everywhere and, ap- that man gives Beauty to the work of his
praising things at a true or truer value, to hands.
build a dyke which shall both protect what A Kingdom not of this world,' atnd
'

ispermanent and hinder what is ephemeral. *

Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.' These
—
As to what is permanent that must be may sound strange words for revolutionists.
F^'tiscovered and as it was Christianity and Consider then the alternatives: Riches,
the Church which destroyed the physical pleasure and irresponsibility, and a kingdom
slavery upon^, which the civilizations of anti- not founded in heaven! It is to be supposed
quity were built, so it will be Christianity that even a practical man of business will see
and the Church which will destroy the even that he cannot have it both ways, but though,
worse and more devilish slavery of the mind, it is perhaps of little use appealing to him

of the soul, upon which are built the commer- he has, as at present, the bit well between his
cial empires of to-day. teeth, an apiieal to ordinary men and women
And this destruction will be effected is a practical proposition.

III.— EXHIBITION AT THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOL

OF ART, CALCUTTA.
By AGASTYA.
the most ancient appraiser and inter- ed in the three presidency towns many de-
AS preter of art (our new friends cades ago. They therefore belong to the
object to the appellation " critic "), older phase of the modem movement in
I have been invited by the Editor to offer Indian painting, which came to take the place
some remarks on, and incidentally furnish a of the old schools which slowly died away in
text, for the pictures that accompany these their decentralised and provincial outposts
pages. They are from the brushes of a group in Patna, Guzrat, Kangra and Hyderabad
of modern Indian artists who have refused during the later half of the nineteenth
to flock to the standard set up by, what is century. Since Dr. A. N. Tagore seceded
known as, the " new " Calcutta or the Tagore from the " school of Art methods " led by
" school " of painting. They are the repre- —
Mr. Havell, then, himself, a teacher in the
sentatives of the canons and methods borrow- —
Government School of Art, a certain amount
ed from the West; and are associated with the of antagonism has been set up in the points
teachings that have been given in the schools of views and the ideals followed by the two
of Art, which a benign Government establish- branches that now divide the modern
 PLATE I

Fig. A

Wandering Minislrel A. X. Tnndade

Fig. B

Milkmaids D. Rama Rao

Fig. C

Exhibition Govt. School of Art, Calcutta.]

Watch-maker
R. K. Phadke
 n
exponents of Painting in India. This is not way, was abreast of the latest movement in
the place to enter into an elaborate analysis European Art. By following more sub-
of the divergence of the two points of view. jective and non-realistic methods the new
But a few words ought to suffice, however school sought to demonstrate how in the
superficially, to indicate the difference of the School of Art methods, a too close representa-
outlooks and the conditions under which tion of the facts of nature limited the free-
the two sections have begun their careers. dom of the hand and the mind of the artist.
The " School of Art " students have been fed If once you can get rid of the tyranny of
upon the doctrine that it is the business and —
the " retinal image " a new world of vision
the sole purpose of art to reproduce the is opened before you and a new means of
" forms which nature produces"; and any de- expression is within your grasp. From the
viation from natural forms would condemn cold and banal repetition of natural forms
a " picture " to the limbo of the decorative you rise to the level of creating new ones.
art. This necessarily limited the students Art is not a reproduction of life and nature,
to the cruder actualities of the senses, and but a substitute for it. The types that the
shut them out from the finer actualities of new school evolved were not the product of a
the imagination. The result has been to laborious transcription from any living
limit the activities of artists to the narrow model but a creation from its own inner vision
field of realistic illusions. That the human —
based on, but not chained to,
•
the forms that
mind has a right to tamper with the facts of nature produces. For this achievement
nature and to modify and colour them for its they found ample precedents in the tradi-
own purpose and co-relate them to its own tions of the old masterpieces of Indian Faint-
—
inner vision has been regarded as an —
ing the Buddhist frescoes and the minia-
aesthetic heresy. The Indian disciples of tures of the Pahari schools which furnished
European Art were thus educated to a many ready-made types ai>d canons. The
worship of the " narrow principles of students of the Schools of Art on the other
nature " separated from its effect on the hand were started on a programme of train-
human mind. The many progressive ideas ing transplanted from S^uth Kensington, in
and the new movements which saved which there was no place for the ideals or
European Art from too narrow a concep- methods of the old indigenous schools of
tion of nature, never filtered down to the India. They began therefore or a clean
curriculum of the Schools of Art in India. slate unhampered by " old canons '* "nd un-
Reynolds' " notion of nature " obviously dominated by " old masterpieces " (t.xept
comprehended not only " the forms which what the copying of the plaster castes fr».m
nature produces but also the nature and in- the " antique " implied) This was an ad-
.

ternal fabric of the human mind and vantage in many respects as it afforded a
—
imgaination " a teaching which has not clear and fresh atmosphere free from the
found its place in' Art education in India. deadening effects of an historical past, the
TTie realistic views of Art in Europe were barriers of which, the so-called Bolshevists of
carried to the extreme limit of their capacity modern art are to-day busily engaged in
for imitating the forms of nature before the demolishing in Europe. This freedom
futility of that exercise was recognized. In from the domination of old and out-worn
India the practitioners have not yet reached ideals, undoubtedly afforded opportunities for
that limit, though a few artists, represented the birth of a new form of art in India.
by the Tagore school, have looked ahead and Whether the opportunity has borne its re-
benefited by the experience of their brethren sults is a legitimate point of debate. But all
in the West. The advent of Impressionism exponents of opposite views concur in con-
saved European Painting from the danger ceding, that the teaching of the Schools of
of a too narrow conception of nature. This Art has not achieved its purpose or produced
Impressionistic view of Art has been an old very brilliant or startling results. They
heritage of Eastern Painting and in trying
; have not been able to create the necessary
to re-learn the lessons from the old master- soil from which could spring great or vital
4>ieces of India the Tagore School, in any Art. While it is alleged on the one hand
 "

78

that the Schools of Art failed to furnish the clear of each other in open contempt of each
necessary aids and apparatus for a living others' creed. Yet they have influenced each
contact with the best achievements in art, other in a very peculiar though somewhat
which the various forms of art training indirect way. The Tagore school in defer-
afford to students in Europe; it has been con- ence to criticism from the opposite camps has
tended on the other hand, that the Indian attempted to mend its transcendental and
public has not offered sufficient moral and conventional anatomy ; while the " aca-
material support to the budding " matri- demic " wielder of the brush has been moved
culates " from the local art schools to develop to improve his crude realistic formulas, by the
their genius. For after all, the real training lessons of creative and imaginative methods
of an artist begins after he has finished his of designs furnished by the new school.
lessons in the rudiments of his craft ; and no Satiated with the realism and painstaking
student ever emerged from his school as a illusionism of their own method, many of
full-fledged artist. He has to find himself them have welcomed, perhaps unconsciously,
and his public through a devoted practice of the abstract and synthetic appeal of the new
his craft. It has been claimed, perhaps art of their brethren in the dissentient camp.
rightly, that many a student of the " School They have perhaps conceded, somewhat un-
—
of Art " has foimd himself but never his aim of the artist should
willingly, that the true
appreciative circle in any section of the pub- be the expression of something profounder
lic. The somewhat erratic and spare patro- than a rendering of correct details by correct
nage, that has fallen to the lot of the fortunate drawing and composition and that a truly
;

few^ has never been based on any understand- vital art is something more than a superficial
ing or appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of transcription of the solid " facts of nature.
their work ; <tnd has helped more to kill his The Tagore school is somewhat unwilling to
imaginative and creative power rather than acknowledge its debt to the older school. It
foster it. Out^ of the alphabets that he has not been realised, far less conceded, that
le2u-ned from his curriculum at school, he has where the disciples of Tagore have failed to a
never been allowec any opportunity to spell positive achievement, they have attempted to
out and evolve a language and a style of his sustain themselves by an attitude of mere
own. For a lack of a demand on his capa- opposition to the other creed.
—
cities his power has not learned to exercise Modern aesthetic criticism has evoked a
or express itself, and has remained for ever somewhat disconcerting admission that there
latent and undeveloped. Yet the students of can be no absolute aesthetic standards emd
the School of Art have not died out altogether, values. There is no body of aesthetic laws on
and have managed somehow to survive the which one School of Art can call for sub-
discouraging conditions of their patronage stantiation of its own point of view. And
and the depressing effect of their own recent aesthetic has likewise evolved a new
achievements. Now and then, a stray artist —
theory of criticism that you cannot judge
has done some promising work and struck a any form of manifestation of art by your own
—
new path which he has not been able to —
preferences your own individual creed or
follow to its legitimate end and fulfilment. dogmatic standard, you should approach a
The commotion that the Tagore school made work of Art in sm unprejudiced and disinter-
and the share of public attention that it has ested attitude, that you must not insist that
been able to appropriate have somewhat put your own tastes and your own principles are
to shade the exponents of the School of Art
"
—
and should be the norm that you must cease
teaching the methods of which the " new to blame or praise in accordance with any
school challenged and sought to replace by its standards save those which the particular
own. And although the discussion that fol- work of Art carries implicit within itself. It
lowed and the exchange and the opposition is thus the function of the critic to under-
of ideeis that the dissenters brought about, stand, to interpret auid explain, or make trans-
have helped both to face some of the funda- —
parent the artist's meaning, his point of
mentab of Art, and to prepare a common view, and his intention. Not to assume the
—
meeting place, the two sections have kept role of a judge — but to act as the mediator
 —

79

between the artist and his public is the Perspective has not brought aesthetic salva-
legitimate part of the critic All kinds of Art, tion to his older brethren.
produced on the basis of the most divergent There is nothing fundamentally or in-
standards, shall have therefore the right to herently wrong in the aims and methods of
exist and flourroh side by side.
school can no more displace that of Ravi
The Tagore either Oriental or Occidental Art — merely
because the one affects an idealistic, an im-
Varma than the Classicist can elbow out the pressionistic or a subjective point of view and
Cubist. All aesthetic theories should be pitted the other prefers a realistic, a representative
against each other in a competitive struggle or a descriptive role. The divergence in the
for survival. In a battle of any two theories methods of the two systems do not by itself
— the better one should win. This struggle import any element of superiority or excel-
for existence is very stimulating to Art as — lence. For it is possible for an Art which
tending to provoke and release a greater frankly adopts a descriptive or representa-
quantity of artistic energies. This " Kinetic tional aim to realise creative, spiritual or
view " has been very skilfully put forward by mystic ideas as much as an Art which begins
a recent writer he suggests " that the
; by spurning and avoiding a direct literal
sharper the clash between one theory and "
transcript and a painful recital of " natural
another, and the greater the inequalities in facts. The Greek artists actually devel-
level, the greater will be the forces generated, oped spiritual qusJities notwithstanding their
the more varied and powerful will be the suc- undue attachment to the broad facts and
cessive changes in Art. The rivalries of fac- features of natural forms. And Whistler's
tions, the shock of opposed opinions, the re- grip of the facts of nature was no less firm
lentless warfare between idea and idea —
these because of his gospel of twilights and under-
things generate heat and excitement, which tones and his various other decorative tricks
are forms of energy, and stimulate the in- through which he " appeared " to play with
dividual artist to greater and greater efforts. or evade the facts of nature. Abanindra
Savage analysis, blind panegyric, even per- Nath Tagore and his pui»ils have sought to
sonal abuse, may be justified from this stand- take liberties with the norm of human
point, for while they are often preposterous —
anatomy with the object of evolving a type
in the concrete, and sometimes lethal to the expressly needed for their own form of ex-
individual artist, they contribute vitally to the pression and not from an incapacity to trans-
sum-total of productive interest in the Art in —
cribe the facts of nature or a desire of evad-
general. Vigorous and reaction,
action ing them. Whether deviation or modification
powerful artistic movements, are only from natural forms is an aesthetic necessity
generated out of powerful forces." It can be is another question and can be answered only
claimed, I think, legitimately, that much of with reference to each particular aesthetic
the strength, the power and the vitality of problem. By the courtesy of the Editor
the Tagore school is a gift from the opposi- I was able to study in a photograph
tion camp. The disciples of Tagore would a remarkable " self -protrait " of a junior
have clung to their creeds with less confidence member of the Tagore school, which to me
or tenacity if they had not met with the appeared to evince a surer grip of the facts of
op{}osition that they actually did from- their human feature than I have been able to dis-
" friends " in the other camp. A
greater cover in many of the best portraits by the
attachment induced by this artificial meims School of Art students. A portrait de-
to their pet ideas and forms have led to a mands a more accurate adherence to the facts
more critical appraisement of their real values of nature than a mythical, religious, or ima-
and a more ready discarding of ways and ginative subjects, yet many a Chinese and
means (at one time believed to be infallible) Japanese master have very successfully
when proved to be fallacious by actual ex- avoided a superficial physical " likeness " in
periments. They have since realised that the order to suggest the vision of the inner
mere adoption of Ajantan manners and reality which is cloaked by the outer clothing.
Mughal methods could not carry them very Those familiar with Korin's brush portrait of
far, just as th^ worship of Chirascuroro suid himself and the Chinese masters' portraits of
 80

the Taoist saints can easily appreciate the qua- before you can evolve a genius who can tower
lity and character of subjective portraiture. over surrounding mediocrities. One need
Yet there can be nothing to disqualify not lose heart by the somewhat bland and
the works of those who prefer to follow barren presentation of the type of an " Wan-
methods other than subjective, and to express dering Minstrel " by Mr. Trindade (Plate I,
their ideas through the cumbrous apparatus fig. A).Mr. Jamini Ray, an ex-student of
of Chirascuroro, perspective and other aids the localGovernment school, has recorded a
to realistic versimilitude. And the interesting very suggestive and intuitive summary of
collection of paintings, and water-colour his impression of a similar subject, in which
drawings which were put together at the the breadth of quality is not discounted or
somewhat hastily got up Exhibition at the encumbered by any meticulous details. The
Government School of Art, Calcutta, in delicate qualities and the mystic suggestion
December last, afforded ample food for reflec- in Mr. Atul Bose's sentimental study " Crying
tion for the future of a group of students and from the Ruins " (Plate II, fig. F) is unhap-
amateur practitioners who have not sub- pily lost in a half-tone reproduction; but I am
scribed to the Tagore creed. It is not fair to assured that even the best of photo-
judge of their capacity by the actual quality graphs could not convey the quality of the
of the average exhibits ; —
we are, unfor- original. Mr. J. Seal's studies of the in-
tunately, unable to reproduce, here, the best mates of the Bengali Zenana (Plate III,
of the specimens. But some of the works do Alpona ") ought to bear fruits in future and
•offer evidence of undoubted talent which is a development of the next phase in his studies
perhaps' running to waste for a lack of un- should be awaited with interest. They are
derstanding and appreciation and a just already instinct with a feeling for his subjects
and informed criticism. To take at random, and an eye for beauty which call for a riper
some of the specimens here reproduced Mr. — technique. Satis Chandra Sinha's ink design
Ram Rao's picture (Plate I, fig. B) of the ry- of " The Wounded Bird " (Plate II, fig. E)
thmic frieze weav id out of a row of Indian has laboriously suggested an Indian
girls with stately jars beautifully poised on atmosphere, but has lost all the opp>or-
their heads, is none the less a work of Art tunity of a splendid decoration. One
because it does not carry the aroma of the wonders if this artist has had any oppor-
" gopis " of the Kangra miniatures, or the tunity to study the works of Jessie Duncan,
memory of Nara or Touen-Houang and is Ann Macbeth and other modern illustrators.
nierely reminiscent of Egyptian girls pictured A study of their decorative designs are likely
by Jules Guerin or the stately processions of to put this young aspirant on the tr2u:k of
Greek Vases. The achievement of an artist many new suggestions and manner of treat-
cannot be said to stand or fall by virtue of ment for his Indian subjects. Of the
its affinity to renowned masterpieces — but examples which I can judge, at second-
on its quality and intrinsic worth. And hand, through photographs, the works of
from this point of view one would accord H. Mazumdar undoubtedily offer evidence of
greater merit to his decorative landscapes, a facile handling of naturalistic style of the
"which outshines his figure subject. There conventional figure subjects of the old French
is a lot of sincerity and conscientious work in " Salons." He has a keener perception of
the plaster study of Phadke's " Watch-men- human form and pose than what is actually
der" (Plate I, fig. C.) It does not pre- evident in his exhibited pictures {vide Col-
tend to larger and ambitious generalisation or our plate " A Village Beauty "). He seems to
suggest " tall " problems of industrial life, or be an adept in hitting off the coquetry of
the nobility of manual labour. But within modem Bengali girls and seems to have in
the purview of the limited scope of its subject him the making of an Indian Fragonard. My
and treatment it tells its story in a clear con- age is against it, but I am sure that many of
vincing and unconventional manner. It is my young friends, with more literary talent
no use quarrelling with the artist that he is than I can claim, are likely to be inspired by
not a Bourdelle or a Mestrovic. You must many of his pictures to produce fine patches
have a large body of practising sculptors of purple prose.
 '

81

IV. -INDIAN ART AND EUROPE.

By STELLA KRAMRISCH.

THE attitude of Europe towards Indian

art is of symptomatic importance.
free
own
from all prejudices. Art speaks its
language. It does not consist of words
Every culture assumes only as much and its contents are not ideas, but forms
of a foreign influence as is fit for it, and it and colours, which assume the shape of an
must be said in advance that the influence was inner experience. The language of art there-
insignificant on both sides. Indian fore is international. The world is full
art never effected any change in the develop- of men and also of works of art The works
ment of European art, nor did European art of art are mostly dead and buried in the
leave any considerable traces in India. But cemeteries of museums. Nobody troubles
those epochs deserve notice, where parallel about them, or, if one takes an interest, it
results appear without any connection or does not differ from that for mummies or
influence, but produced by an inner affinity. strange animals. The greatest part of this
Art is as necessary and orgamical as life interest consists in a desire for sensation and
itself. Lifethe flower of the world and
is in curiosity. And because one does not under-
art is its Indian art contains the
scent stand them, criticism proves a cheap and
mystery of peace, which is connected with satisfying revenge. Then one has finished
life's fulness. Indian art connects creating with them. But works of art possess a tena-
energy with a knowing smile, superior to all cious life. They remain silent, but fhey re-
activity. main. Few only realize that woi'ks of art are
Indian art is so inexhaustibly manifold souls, living energies, which disclose to-day,
that it never can be measured by a Western as well as at the time when.ihey have been
standard. First we see the childlike, cheer- created, the unveiled being; of their creator,
full behaviour of men at Bharhut and their the artist, the man. !

brilliant festivity at Sanchi. In Ajanta are WhenEuropeans hear the word beauty,
the enjoyments of life unfolded and at the then the Greek ideal waves more or less dis-
same time triviality triumphs at Mathurau tinctly before their eyes. And when they
Amaravati possesses the elegant refinement say "nature," then they mean first of all
of aesthetic culture and Mahavellipur the its optical appearance. Indian art makes us
super abundance of artistic fancy which does forget both these views.
not care about rules and laws. In Elephanta
Certainly beauty and nature are elemen-
resides the ordination of divine embodiment
tary conditions of art. But their meaning
and the art of the Gupta period is the classic
varies and has to undergo alterations. What
form of absolute psychic equilibrium. These
does therefore nature mean to the Indian
are but few names taken from the vast
The later and in- artist, and which is the kind of beauty he
amount of Indian art.
numerable temples and statues represent knows ?
as many different energies and visions as A Bharhut relief for example shows two
their number indicates. of Buddha's previous birth stories, the
What is the artistic unity which is Jatakas. It tells how the Buddha, who
spread out into this chaos of fancy auid born as a clever boy, gave a dead bufFalo
reality, productiveness and repetition, grass and water and asked him to eat
creation and tradition? What is this and drink. Acting thus purposely foolish,
experience which is so mighty and he drew the attention of his father on him,
overwhelming that it separates itself from who was consumed by sadness because his
the man, from the artist, and becomes a new father died. Now he becomes reasonable
being, namely, the work of art ? In order again, when he sees how he has been made
to understand art, one must be first of all ridiculous and stops his tears. The next
able to forget, that is to say, one has to be scene shows the Buddha again, who at this
 82

time was a cock and withstood the tempta- The embraces the woman's figure which
tree
tions of a she-cat, who offered herself to be- is full movement auid surrender and its
of
come Buddha's wife in order to kill him.* branches swing in the movement which is
Men and actions are laid in the equal originated by her. The group of woman and
wave of a lotus stalk which runs across the tree is always produced with unfailing origi-
sculptured frieze. Alternating with the nality, as symbol and realisation of the close
scenes enormous fruits and jewels are and insoluble connection of all creation. Not
represented, which grow out of the lotus the sum of external appearance represents
tendril. Man luid action, the significant nature, but the elementary and deep feeling,
parts of the narration are thus, regarding which arises from unity.
their number and treatment, of the same The symbolism of Indian art is judged
importance as fruits and jewels. Man and to be its essential feature. And therein, one
animal, object and plant are of equal value. thinks, consists the difficulty to approach
There is nothing besides them, no land- Indian art, because the meaning of symbols
scape, no background. They grow out of must be known first- But that is only partly
the lotus stalk, or they are supported by it. true, because art is always and everywhere
They are there and grow and include a symbolical by itself.
certain meaning, and the lotus tendril runs The mere existence of a work of art is of
further and bears other fruits and tells other no importance as long as it does not suggest
stories. a certain meaning to the spectator. The
Every form is of equal importance and reality of art consists in its significance. A
all together constitute nature without any true work of art is the materialisation of an
preference. They are connected by the inner experience visualised by a display of
movement of a wavy line, which bears adl forms and colours. The symbolism of the
of them as if they were its own flowers and relation of dimensions and of colours, is
fruits. Natur^ here appears as peaceful immediately suggestive and does not need
harmony of all ci "jatures and a mighty move- any explanation of its mesming. One feels
ment runs through it. Nothing hinders it subconsciously the harmony of forms and
and it gives to everything its particular mood to which they correspond. Literary
place. symbolism stands apart from them and
Every art possesses certain elements, figures merely as an external attribute.
which are frequently repeated. These pre- The literary symbolism is no excuse
ferred devices express most intimately that one does not understand Indian
the peculiarity of the art. They are typical art. All the literary symbols as, for instance,
utterances, just as every man has typical chakra or trisula, the urna and other lak-
words and movements which express his shanas have a stereotyped meaning and are
character very distinctly, and whereby he not connected with the artistic, but with the
easily can be recognised. Such a preferred religious, imagination. It is not less •

theme of Indian art is the composition of a difficult to understand the literary symbolism
female figure and a tree.f of Western mediaeval art, and to recognise all
Many repetitions and variations of this the different events and the vast number of
group exist in every epoch of Indian art. saints who have their peculiar attributes too.
The legend says that the Acoka tree blossoms Indian art was so long reproached with
when touched by a woman's foot. Indian its lack of anatomy until Abanindro Nath
art makes them bloom together. Such is Tagore himself had written a small treatise
the overflow of her exuberant life that she on artistic anatomy. Anatomy, however, as
can afford to give it away to the tree. It it is understood in the West, that is to say,
shapes and bends their limbs and stem and the science of structure and situation of
makes them similar. The figures become bones, tendons and muscles, in India stands
homogeneous vessels for the unity of life. apart from art, and the artist can spare this
^^Cunningham: The Stupa of Bharhut pL XLVII. knowledge. Yet his figures have, never-
theless, an organic structure, for the scienti-
t Haven, Ideals of Ind. Art. pi. XII and Sands,
Gateways. fic character of Indian art does not belong to
 83

the reproduction of a model but to the struc- quiet and stable forms existing, are united in
ture, i.e., the " anatomy " of the work of art perfect synunetry and give expression to the
itself. The talas and different measures re- imperturbable state of the Buddha. But in
gulate the relation, size, and situation of the spite of that the figure is full of life
different parts of the body, in order that they and expression. Spiritual concentration and
may form a visual unity adequate to the restless bliss animate the face. Gentle
spiritual conception. Such is the " natur- movement streams through the round arms
alism " of Indian art Nature is the creative and life passes from one hand to the other
power and the figures of art are still its crea- like an electric spark.
tures; although they have been produced by Let us take the statue of Sundara Murti
human hands, they are obedient to the Swami. which represents the vocation of the
natural and cosmic laws of organic growth saint. The Avanga pose and the Kathaka-
and equilibrium. They are works of art and mudra suggest a rapturous emotion and add
not copies of something already created/ e., to the expression of the figure, whose shy
of forms of nature. and hesitating recession opens itself and is
But art has a twofold mission. On the redeemed by letting God enter. Here beauty
one hand it is creative nature working through is identical with expression, but not with the
man and on the other hand it is the counter- dramatic expression of strong emotions, but
weight which man opposes to nature in order with the artistic realisation of a sublime ex-
to find his equilibrium- Nature is creation in perience which has become a state.
which man is implicated and therefore pas- Indian art is a realisation of, nature
sive. Art is man's own creation, his utmost as creating energy. It sF>eaks its language
activity. What is the special creative thought instead of depicting it. It embodies, on the
of Indian art, that is to say, what is the idea other hand, pure spirituality and the most
of beauty? The Europeem idea of beauty con- subtle vibrations of soul, Avithout getting
sists in a harmony of all features and parts, confused by optic impressfons.
which form a totality. Whenever we find The question whether Indian art did in-
this harmony, which cannot be defined, but fluence Europe or whether European art did
which is evident, then we are aesthetically influence India is equally idle.
satisfied and do not require anything more. The traces, found on either side if sought
But Indian art asks for the harmony and for very carefully and pedantically, have not
finds the answer in a spiritual state and altered the art; just as foreign words
psychical attitude, which is so dominating never will alter the construction of a
that it forms features and limbs, movement language.
and gesture as an expression of itself. Gandhara, the land on the Kabul river, by
Contemplate for example, the Buddha the N,-W. frontier of India, is a unique ex-
from Sarnath. His eyes are lowered and his ample which from an historical point of
brows drawn up. His mouth is smiling. view is extremely interesting, but artisticaJly
His face is round like the moon. His look is it has no importance at all. But we have to
directed inwards. His hands touch each come back later to this kind of intercourse,
other and his legs are crossed. His arms exchange and influence of forms and motives.
accompany the body. He sits quietly and Our question is: Are there any epochs in
solidly on his legs. His whole figure is well- European art which are related to Indian
bfdanced as an equilateral triangle. His art by an inner affinity, independent of any
head forms the point and his legs the base, external connection? Gothic art gives the
his arms suggest the two sides, and the con- answer.
tact of his hands the centre of gravity. His The artisticeducation of Europe is
head is a circle but the halo is still a bigger based entirely on classic principles. The
one. The accomplished symmetry is em- culture of Athens and Rome, determine its
phasised and repeated by the bent arras, spiritual life. It has been a culture of cities.
which enshrine Budflha's lion-like body in A city has a character of its own. It is a
the form of two triangles. The display of complex organism, which, being produced by
triangles and fircles, which are the most men, has, of course, its place in nature, but it
 84

has isolated itself, and its life is obedient to North-European Gothic. Only the individu-
other laws than the growth and perishing of of the groups of men are different
alities
nature. To the citizen nature has a peculiar But not only Gothic and Indian art are con-
meaning. He enjoys it, 'that is to say, its nected by an inner affinity. Even Greek
lovely or interesting outside. He has made art participates in this connection of Indo-
himself independent and thus he does not Aryan races. Three typical figures, the
feel any longer its power, and that he himself typically Indian sculptured representation of
is a part of it; but he thinks to be its master a woman, a typical Greek statue, and a
and accepts the view which is offered to him typical Gothic Madonna illustrate this inner
with the gratitude which he feels for a pleas- connection. The Indian figure is full and
ing spectacle. Being outside of him, he looks round, animated by small curves which alter
at it and watches it. And thus he creates an their direction so that a weighing equilibrium
art, which is a creative transformation of his results; the curvature of the Greek figures
optic impressions. Therefore he is satisfied shows the healthy and graceful suppleness of
by a merely optical beauty. Therefore the a well-trained physique, whilst the Gothic
average man of to-day appreciates only Greek figure is covered by the long gown which
and Italian art of the later Renaissance which seems to be endless and its movement is not
represents exclusively the harmony of physi- concluded in the figure but ends In the infinite.
cal appearance. Man, of course, the beauti- The flexion of the figures, the way how they
ful man, is the principal object of representa- stand, that is to say their living energy is
tion and nature is his frame, his scenery. the same. This posture cannot be found in
Nature is reduced to the importance of a the art of any other race. It represents
stage on which men are acting. a gesture and attitude of Aryan artistic
Wedo not, seem to realise that Europe imagination.
once was Gothit the south of Europe only In all the other epochs European art
episodically but \h^ North and Middle of it goes its own ways having nothing in common
throughout the later mediaeval period. And with the artistic realisation of India. But in
the Northern Baroque of the XVIIth century the middle of the extremely European move-
is disguised Gothic. However so different a ment of the later Renaissance the unique
Gothic cathedral from an Indian temple,
is
personsdity of Leonardo da Vinci appears.
the building principle is similar and only the
The way how he experiences the world is
external conditions, the climate, country,
similar to Buddha's aspect, and the expres-
people, tradition and outlook differ.
sion of the faces of his figures have a puzz-
Of course, the forms are fundamentally ling simiarity with Indian gods.
difFerent. The pointed, ascetic and fragile
entanglement of upright forms, effects
May be that Leonardo had con-
ghastly stiff if compared to the massive
nections with India. He was unique and
broadness of Indian temples. But both of
misunderstood by his contemporaries, cried
them are entirely formed. There is not the down as a magician, though for European art
smallest space left free, everything is form, he has the importance of a prophet. Four
centuries have elapsed since. Finally Europe
invention, life.
Architecture is transferred into plastic has survived its own ruin, and art always a
figures, which cover in an endless multitude
true witness, has become abstract. The
ar'tists of to-day appreciate Indian art. It is
the whole building. Or consider any Gothic
saint- His body similar to Sundara murti an inner need which makes them able to
swamis is consumed by his spiritual fire; his understand the experience and realisation of
whole body is stretched and bent at the same the Indian artist.
time in an endless curvature. This curva- Business, on the other hand, plays a great
ture is typical for Gothic art, all the Madon- part in the commercial life of art and Indian
nas and saints have assumed it as their art is on the way to become fashionable. Un-
postures. productive painters and sculptors imitate
The extasies and quiet happiness of inner Indian forms. Surely this superficial
experience does not di£Fer in India and the imitation will pass away, but it is remarkable
 —

65

it has its analogy in early

" Triumph of Bacchus," an exquisite pioce
in that respect that
mediaeval Christian art. of dyed muslin from Antinoe' dates from
A brisk trade with ivory via Alexandria the early Christian centuries and illustrates
seems to have connected India with Europe a Greek myth in the flowing movement of
in the Coptic period of Egyptian history. an Indian composition.
Some ivory carvings from the pulpit of the Besides these connections of trade and
monastery at Aachen, in Germany, are Hel- fashion, a more essential parallel originated
lenistic, that is to say Coptic copies of In- in India and Europe by similar circum-
dian originals. One of them represents the stances. The figure of Buddha, as well as
Indian motif of the woman and the tree. that of Christ, is avoided in the representa-
According to Western ideas the female has tions of the first centuries of both creed, and
been changed into a youth, who might repre- is substituted by symbols. Buddhist
sent Bacchus.' The treasure of the mon- symbols are the wheel, the empty throne,
astery at Trier in Germany includes another the footprints of Buddha and some others,
ivory carving,- which is copied from a whilst Christ is represented by the dove, the
stone carving from the Sanchi-monu- fish, the lamb, the cross and his initials- The
ment.-^ It depicts the war of the relics, vase, from which vine grows supporting two
of Buddhist relics in Sanchi of Christian peacocks on both sides of the cross, is a
relics in Trier. The ivory carving was pro- similar symbol for Christ's doctrine, as the
cured from Constantinople. A chess vase, with lotus flowers is a symbol
figure which belonged to the Abbey of S. for Buddha's birth. In both of the
Denis^ .is .undoubtedly of Indian origin, two religious representations the symbols
whether it be imported from India or copied begin to act. Buddha's footprints walk
from an Indian model. But the most from the Trayastrimca heaven where he —
striking example is an ivory carving at Or- went to preach the doctrine—downwards on
leems (eleventh century), which, though its a ladder,'' whilst Moses in shape of a lamb,
composition points to Gandhara, is modelled touches the rock with his staff in order to
in Byzantine style. Many other carvings charm water out of the dry desert.
show more or less distinctly Indian Gandhara is judged to have contributed
traces. One motif, often repeated, is the a great deal to the consolidation of Indian ico-
Indian architecture which mostly fills the nography. Gandhara, the land on the
upper part of the relief as a background for north-west frontier of India, was governed
the saint. This kind of architecture can from the second century B. C
to the fourth
be found even in Irish ivory carvings. Monks century A.D. by Greko-Parthian and Indo-
composed and copied these carvings as they Bactrian rulers. Its art is a mixture
did with miniatures. The Christian monk of Indian and Greek elements, which lacks
system has its origin in Egypt, and there can artistic qualities and is produced for the
be no doubt that its introduction into Christi- market, and although it is of no artistic value
anity was originated by the Buddhist example. it is historically interesting. Ghandhara
The monks went as missionaries through the never influenced India, though it was very
whole of Europe and brought their art with successful in Chinese-Turkestan, which had
them. The Oriental fashion on the other no art of its own and accepted whatever
hand was very popular throughout the foreign influence offered.
middle ages. Persian and Indian textiles The relation of Indian and European art
and ivories were bought and copied, church was, until the present time, either based
and society appreciated them equally. on an inner affinity or it resulted from a con-
nection of trade and from similar conditions
iStrzygowski: Der Dom zu Aschen. of culture. The transplantation however of
-Strzygowski: Orient oder Rom. European tradition into Indian art schools is
^Sanchi, West Gate back view, middle
architrave.
^Now in the Cabinet de medaille, Bibliotheque "E. Guimet; Les Portraits d* Antinoe au Musee
nationale; [Gaston Migeon; Manuel de I'art Musul Guimet pi. XIII.
^man II p. 14] ''Cunningham: Barhut pi. XvU 12.
 86

artificial and useless. But art despises all at the same time the East accepts European
purposes; it is as closely connected with life civilization. Whatever the result may be
as a child is connected with its mother. this exchange means movement. Move-
Foreign children can never become her own. ment is a sign of life, and life is productive,
Still one feature of the present age must whether it is in the punrased sense or by
not be overlooked. Not only Indian art, but contradiction and reaction, makes no differ-
first of all the Indian outlook, has a deep
effect on modern Western spirituality, while

V. -INDIAN COLUMNS.
BY P. K. ACHARYA.
HE
column in a building is stated by and the next two mean support. So these
T* authorities like Professor Gwilt (in
the Encyclopaedia of Architecture,
employed in buildings as sup-
six are clearly
port. Four others were apparently employed
2,538) to be the regulator of the whole com- both as support and as free-standing pillars ;
position. The proper understanding and and the remaining two seem to imply only
application of it constitute the foundation of free-standing pillars.
all excellence in the art. Fergusson rightly These free-pillars are common to all
declares that " if any one wished to select the Hindu, the Buddhist, and the Jaina styles
one feature ^of Indian architecture, which of Indian architecture. The Buddhists em-
would illustrate its rise and progress, as well ployed them to bear inscriptions on their
as perfection 'and weakness, there are
its shafts, with emblems or animals on their
probably no objects more suited for this pur- capitals. The Jainas built dipa-stambhas or
pose than these staumbhas or free-standing laimp-bearing pillars. The Vaishnavas raised
pillars."^ the Garuda-stambhas or pillars bearing
In the art of building, the conception of statues of Garuda bird or Hanuman. And
pillar seems to be older than the dwelling it- the Saivas built the dhvaja-stambas or the
self. The Vedic literature is full of refer- flag-staffs. In the archaeological records
ences to free pillars as well as the columns references to other kinds of free pillars are
proper which are employed as essential sup- also found, such as, Mana-stambha or ele-
port to a building. The synonyms of pillar gant tall pillars with small pavilion at the
likeStambha, Skambha, Sthuna, and Upa- top ;* Rana- stambha or column of victory ;^
mit,etc., have been discovered in the Rig- Kirti-stambha or triiunphal pillar ;" linga-
veda and the later literature.- stambha' and Yupa,® etc.
The Manasara^ has supplied us with al-
^Ep. Carnatica Vol. VIII. part 1, No. 55, p. 192
most all the synonyms of pillars met with
(Roman text), 102 (translation).
in
anghrika; bharaka, dharana;
—
our literature jangha, charana, pada,
Ep. Indica. Vol. VIII. 123 ; IV. 178, 171 ;
stambha, V. 171.
skambha, sthuna, sthanu stali, arani. Of; Journal of Indian art. Vol. V. plate facing p. 39.
these twelve names, the first four imply foot Fergusson ibid, 270, 276, Photographs Nos.
149, 155.
Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum III. No. 33,
^History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, p. 143f.
p. 277. ^Burgess, Ahmedabad Architecture, Arch.
-Vedic Index II. 488, 483. Survey, New Imp. Series, Vol. XXXIII. 94.
R. Veda. i. 59, 1 ; V. 45.2 . ; 62.7 ; VIII. 17.4 ;
Ep. Indica. Vol. XIII. 127.
X. 18.13 i. 34.2 i, 59.1 ; IV. 5.13.5.
; ; 'Ep. Camat. Vol. XII. 102 (Roman text), 64
A. Veda. III. 12, 6 ; XIV. 1, 63 ; (translation).
Kathaka Samhita, XXX. 9 ; XXXI. 1, 63 ;
^Corpus Inscrip. Ind. III. 252, 253.
Satapatha-Brahmana. III. 1, 1, 11 ; 5, 1, 1 : Ep. Camat. Vol. X. No. 17. p. 233 (transla-
XXIV. 1, 3, 7 ; 3, 1, 22, etc. tion).
»XV. 4-«. Mysore Arch. Reports 1P15-16. p. 21, Plate I.
 '

87

" Whatever their distinction " declares and the Supra-bhedagama'"* contain the
Fergusson, " they were always the most essential details. The names of the five
original, and frequently the most elegant orders according to the latter Agama'^ are
productions of Indian art." Sri-kara, Chandra-kanta, Saumukhya,
But the column proper employed as sup- Priya-darsana, and Shubhankari. The last
port to a building is, however, the object of one is expressly stated to be the Indian Com-
special study in the Vastu-sastras. Like the posite order being compound of Saumukhya
five Greco-Roman orders, called Doric, and Priya-darsana, exactly like the Greco-
Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan., and Composite, Roman Composite order which is compound
columns in ancient India also were divided of Corinthian and Ionic.
into five classes or orders. In the Mana- Between the European and Indian
sara'" they are called Brahma-kanta, columns there is, however, a point of differ-
Vishnu-kanta, Rudra-kanta, Shiva-kanta, ence. Of the Greco-Roman orders, the five
and Skanda-kanta. These divisions are based names have been left unchanged, while in
on the general shapes. With respect to India the names of the five orders have
dimensions and ornaments they are called varied in various treatises referred to above.
Chitra-karna, Padma-kanta, Chitra-skam- It is true, all the same, that the criteria of
bha, Palika-stambha, and Kumbha- divisions are essentially the same in the
stambha.^' References to Brahma-kanta, Manasara, the Agamas, the Puranas, and
etc., are also found in the Epigraphical re- the Brihat-samhita.
cords. *- We have also seen above that the Mana-
Of the 19 Puranas'^ consulted, the de- sara contains two sets of names of the'
tails are very clear only in the Matsya- five order, one set referring like the 'Agamas,
purana.^^ In this purana, as well as in the the Puranas, and the Brihat-samhita, to the
Brihat-samhita,^' the five orders are called general shapes of the columns or more pre-
Ruchaka, Vajra, Dvi-vajra, Pralinaka, and cisely the shafts, while the other refers
Vritta. mostly to the capitals. The works other
Of the 28 Agams,'" the Kamikagama^' than the Vastu-shastras as represented by
sibid p. 50.
the Manasara have not kept this distinction
»«XV. 20-23, 31, 40, 73, 204. dear, obviously because the treatment of
.^^Koshtha-stambha and Kudya-stambha are architectural subjects in non-architectural
two names used in the latter division to imply the treatises must necessarily be superficial.
pilaster and not independent column proper.
i2For instance, Ep. Ind. V. 151 XII. 212, 216.
What we can reasonably infer from this fact,
;

Corpus Inscrip. Ind. III. 252, 253.

as regards the mutual relation of these
13(1) Agni, (2) Garuda, (3)
Matsya, (4) treatises, will be further elucidated by the
Bhavishya, (5) Vishnu, (6) Padma, (7) Bhagavata, consideration of the component parts of the
(8) Brahma, (9) Siva, (10) Narada, (11) Markan- column.
deya, (12) Varaha, (13) Skanda or Kumara, (14)
The question of the variation of the
Vamana, (15) Vayu, (16) Linga, (17) Kurma, (18)
Brahmanda, and (19) Brahma-vaivarta. five names of orders can perhaps be ex-
i^Chap. 255, 1-6. plained away. The names of the Greco-
'=.Chap. LIII. 27-30; also J R A. S (New Roman orders according to Vitruvius and
Series) Vol. VI. 285, Notes 1. 2. Gwilt"" are geographical. Doric is derived
i^Cl) Kamikagama, (2) Suprabhedagma, (3)
Yogijagama, (4) Chintyagama, (5) Karanagama, from the species of columns first found in
(6) Ajitagama, (7) Dfptagama, (8) Sukshmagama, the cities of Doria. That species of which
(9) Sahasragama, (10) Anisumanagama, (11) the lonians or the inhabitants of Ion were
Vijayagama, (12) Nisvasagama, (13) Svanibhuva- the inventors, has received the appellation
gama, (14) Asitagama, (15) Viragama, (16) Rau- of Ionic. Callmachus constructed columns
ravagama, (17) Makutagama, (18) Biraatagama,
after the model of the tomb in the country
(19) Chandra-Jnanagama, (20) Bimbagama, (21)
Prod-gitagama, (22) Lalitagama, (23) Siddua- about Corinth ; hence this species is called
gama, also called Vaikhanasagama, (24) Santana-
gama, (25) Sarvoktagama, (26) Paramesvaragama, isPatala XXXI. 66-67.
(27) Kiranagama, (28) Vatukagama. 19 Vitruvius Book IV. 1, Encyclopaedia of
"Patala XXXV. 24-26, 161. LV. 203, etc . Architecture, Article 178.
 —

88

Corinthian. The Tuscan order has refer- of the shaft. They are called bodhika,
ence to the country of Tuscany, formerly mushti-bandha, phalaka, tatika, and ghata.
called Eutruria, in Italy. Composite as The Suprabhedagama-' describes two sets
stated above is compound of Ionic and of seven mouldings, one set referring to the
Corinthian. column of the main building and the other
In India, on the other hand, the names to that of the pavilion. They are called
of. the orders were based on the shapes of respectively danga, mandi, kantha, kumbha,
columns. And as the Indians are compara- phalaka, vira-kantha and polika; and bo-
tively spiritualistic and sentimental, rather dhika, uttara. vajana, murdhika, tula, jay-
than historisms, in temperament and ima- anti, and tala. These increasing number of
gination, they chose mythological and poeti- mouldings has reached the significant num-
cal names according to the spirit of the times ber of eight in the Matsya-purana,-- the
when these various works were composed. Brihat-samhita -'^ and the Kirana-tantra,^^
Thus in the Manasara we see the orders and bears the very same eight names,
bear the names of mythological deities, vahana, ghata, padma, uttaroshtha, bahulya,
Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Shiva, and Skanda; bahara, tula, and upatula.
as well as the poetical names like Chitra- Whether accidental or otherwise, the
karna (variegated ears), Chitra-skambha component mouldings of the Greco-Roman
(variegated shaft), Padma-kanta (lotus orders are also eight in number,"^ and like
shaped), Kumbha-stambha (jug shaped), the five orders themselves their names have
-and Palika-stambha (Palika shaped). In been invariable ever since their introduction,
the Agakna, the names are more poetical though most of them have been given more
Srfkarna (beautifying), Chandra-kanta than one name. They are called (1) the
(graceful like the moon), Saumukhya (of ovalo, echinus, or quarter round ; (2) the
most charming face), Priya-darshana (of talon, ogee, or reversed cyma; (3) the
pleasant sight), Shubhankkari (doing good). cyma, cyma recta, or cymatium ; (4) the
In the Puranas and the Brihat-samhita the torus (5) the scotia or trochilos ; (6) the
names combine beauty and utility ; — Ru- ;

cavetto, mouth, or hollow ; (7) the astragal ;

chaka (pleasing), Vritta (round and digni- and (8) the fillet, listel, or annulet.
fied), Vajra (beautiful and solid like the The names of these mouldings like
blub), Dvi- vajra (doubly so), and Pralinaka. those of the orders themselves have under-
These names have not yet been asso- gone great changes in the vernaculars of the
ciated with particular kinds of existing Indian masons. And as has already been
columns. The reason is not far to seek. pointed out, until the results of philological
The names have undergone further changes study of these vernaculars are available,
in the vernaculars in which the modern ma- these names of mouldings can hardly satis-
sons talk. And until the results of philologi- factorily be associated with the mouldings
cal studies of so many vernaculars are avail- of the existing columns. But some of the
able, the actual identification of the columns eight mouldings of the Indian order can be
bearing these names must remain in the dark. identified, with a reasonable certainty, with
With regard to the names and functions of the corresponding mouldings of the Greco-
the component parts of the column, the Roman order.
variation is a little less marked. But these Padma implies lotus (petal) and cyma
subservient parts, called mouldings and also suggest the same thing. Uttaroshtha,
common to all orders, vary in numbers. literally the lower lip, and the cavetto,
Thus in the Manasara,-" which of almost all
the treatises deals separately and exhaust-
2iPatala XXXI. 56—60 ; 107—108.
ively with the pedestal, the base, and the
22Chap. LIII. 255, 1—6 f.
entablature, mention is made in connection 23Chap. LIII. 29—30.
with the pillar of Five mouldings, apparently 2<J. R. A. S. (N. S.), VI. 285. Notes 1, 2.
-'"'Gwilt, Encyclopaedia of Architecture, Art.
2,532, figures 867—874.
20XLVII. 16—18. Glossary of Arch, terms. Plate XXXIV.
 —

89

mouth, or hollow are apparently the same. kumuda, kendra, (24) kshepana, (25)
(23)
Hara mezming chain seems to imply the mushti-banda, (26) mula, (27 mrinala or
same object as the torus, bead or astragal. mrinalika, (28) nataka, (29) nasi, (30)
Ghata means a pot ;it may correspond to nimna, (31) patta or pattika, (32) prati or
the ogee talon, or reserved cyma. Vahana pratika, (33) prati-vakra, (34) prati-vajan^^
is that which supports any thing and abacus (35) prati-bandha, (36) pratima, (37)
also serves the same purpose ; so they may paduka, (38) prastara, (39) phalaka, (40)
correspond to each other. Tula and upa- ratna, (41) tatika, (42) tunga, (43) uttara,
tula, otherwise called vajana and uttara, (44) upana, (45) vapra or vapraka, (46)
seem to correspond to the fillet, listel, or an- valabha or valabhi, and (47) vajan2u-"
nulet. There is a large number of compound
I am, however, not concerned here with mouldings, also, such as kampa-karna,
the actual identification of the orders or of kampa-padma, padma-kampa, ratna-kampai;
the mouldings. The main point at issue is ratna-patta. vara-pa'tta, ratna-vapra, etc.
the number of the orders tmd of the mould- Between Vitruvius and the Manasara,
ings. We have seen that the number of similarities in other matters are more strik-
orders in the Manasara, the Agamas, the ing than in the present instance of the or-
Puranas, and the Brihat-samhita as well as ders and the mouldings.
in Vitruvius is five. The number of mould- If the students of Indian Art and Archi-
ings vary in the Indian treatises, the Mana- tecture kindly point out or even suggest the
sara, referring to five, the Supra-bheda- way to the connecting link between the two
gama to seven, and the Matsya-purana, the autthorities,something more precisely and
Brihat-samhita, and the Kirana-tantra, each definitely can be declared regarding our
referring, exactly like Vitruvius, to eight Indian standard work on architecture and
mouldings. But if the mouldings-'^ describ- cognate arts, and the architectural portions
ed separately in connection with the pedes- of the puranas smd the Ag-imas.
tal, base, and entablature be taken into con-
sideration, the Manasara surpasses all the
-'Many of the mouldings have got a large
Indian aind the European treatises on the number of synonyms, e.^.
subject. In the Manasara as many as forty- (i) Kapata, Prastara, mancha, prachchhadana,
seven (uncompound) mouldings are dis- gopana, vitana vaJabhi euid matta-varana.
—
covered (1) abja, ambuja, padma, or saro- (ii) Prati, prastara, prati-vajan2^ anvanta,
avasana, vidhana, and vidhanaka.
ruha; (2) antara, antarita, antaral, or anta-
(iii) Prati-rup^^ dalakara, vijana, vajana, vetra,
rika, (3) anghri, (4) amsu, (5) argala,
kshepana, uttara, patta, pattika, kampa, trika,
(6) adhara, (7) alinga, (8) asana, (9) bha- manda and antarita.
dra, (10) bodhika, (11) dala, (12) dhara, (iv)Tula-danda, jayanti, and phalaka.
(kumbha), (13) gala, griva kantha, or kan- (v) Kapota, vakra-hasta, lupa, gopanaka, and
dhara, (14) ghata, (15) gopana, (16) hara, chandra.
(vi) Sang^raha, mushti-bandha, maddala, ud-
(17) janman, (18) kapota, (19) kampa, or dhrita-hasta, valabhi, and dharana.
kampsma, (20) karna, (21) kumbha, (22) (vii) Nataka, anta, mrinalika, chitranga, and
kulikang hrika.
(viii) Uttara, vajana, adhara, adheva, sayana,
-"Dictionary of architectural terms by the uddhrita, murdhaka, maha-tautiv, and sva-vam-
writer under Adhishthana Upa-pitha, Prastara. saka.

VI.— A VISIT TO A SAINT:— "CHHARI SHAHMADAR."

the colour plate opposite we are en- late Mughal Painting, It is usually assum-
IN abled to reproduce by the courtesy of ed with
that the overthrow of the
the owner, Mr. Sitaram, a very Mughal Court — the school of painting
interesting document for the study of with which it was associated came to
 90

an end. The examples of Post- Mughal to gather in the background, cutting

paintings that have come to light recently, out the figures in somewhat harsh
call for a modification 6f this view. The contrast. The foreground is treated rather
school was decentralised rather than entirely delicately in a dull red tone indicating the
uprooted. It sought shelter in provincial reflected light from the lamps. The effect
towns and in the petty little principalities of the original picture is greatly enhanced
that pushed their heads upon the downfall of by a large decorated margin which gives it
the Mughal Empire. There is no doubt that a very good setting but which we have been
the school lost all its solidarity and much of unable to reproduce here. But apart from
its vitality but the continuity of the tradition its aesthetic quality as a fine specimen of
was not entirely lost. It is usual to describe night effect in Indian pictures, it is of singu-
the painting after the accession of Aurangzib lar interest for the history of Mughal paint-
as decadent. No doubt the works of the ing, as adds another name to the long list
it
Court painters which were entirely support- of Mughal artists that have left records of
ed by Royal patronage took a downward path their signatures on their paintings. The pic-
as soon as its main-stay was removed. But ture bears the name of the artist, which is
here and there quite interesting works con- Mir Kalan. The name does not occur in any
tinued to be produced which were not entirely of the Indian or English collections of Indian
unworthy of their brilliant predecessors. On miniatures. Mr. Schulz in his monograph
the other hand a new change is observed gives reference to the name occurring in
mainly in the artist's choice of his subject. some pictures in the St. Petersburg collection
From Court pageant and hunting scenes the (Die Persisch-islamische Miniature-malerei,
miniatures change to popular subjects and Band I p. 196, 204) and it may be instructive
the life of the common-folk. One of the to compare our specimen with that in the
most characteristic subjects in late Mughal Russian collection. The size of the ori-
painting are those depicting night scenes ginal excluding the margin is 9^" by 5^".
where guests are seated round a fire or the Mr. Schulz places Mir Kalan in the middle
scenes of deer-hunting by night or the burn- cf the 18th century.
ing of decorative fire-works on a dewali
. The title of the picture " Chhar-i
night. Of this claiss of subject, the Shamadar " (Lit., the bamboo banner of
picture reproduced in our colour plate the Saint) inscribed on the border, pro-
is certainly an unique example. It bably, by the artist himself, gives us a hint
represents a visit to a Saint at night. for the subject-matter for which we owe
The Saint with a long dignified beard our information to Mr. M. Kazim Shirazi.
is seated under the shades of a tree from the According to the treaties called
trunks of which a red canopy is hung at some " Mirat - i - Madari," Badi-ud-Din Shah
inclination to the ground. Quite a number Madar, commonly called "Shahmadar,"
of ladies have brought numerous presents. was a converted Jew, born at Aleppo.
A drummer seated on a mat hard by is Dam - i - Madar vulgarly
(or " Dhum-
announcing that the hour has come for the madar '') is popular ceremony
still a
faqirto receive visitors, who it is needless to with the agricultural and lower classes
point out are composed entirely of ladies. in India. It originally consisted of
The composition include a lady saint with holding a bamboo banner (" chhari ")
long hairs and an ash-smeared urchin in the in hand and jumping into fire, and
foreground, who with his fly-whisk of treading it out, with the exclamation
peacock feathers introduces the only note of of r am-i-Madar, " " Dam-i-Madar " !

levity in the picture. The scene is lit up by that is, " By the breath of Madar, by the
earthen chirags placed inunediately breath of Madar." It is devoutly believed
before the Saint. The treatment of that not a hair of these devotees gets
the night effect is quite conventional singed, and that those who practise the
though characteristic of Mughal paintings. ceremony are secure against the venom of
The figures are all lit up in brilliant snakes and scorpions. Shah Madar came
colours and all the darkness is allowed to India in the reign of Sultan Ibrahim
 — —

91

Sharki. He died in 1433 A.D. at Makun- addicted to the use of intoxicating drugs.
pur, near Cawnpur and a handsome tomb The first tenet of their faith is that the world
was raised over his grave by Sultan Ibrahim.
He is believed to be still alive, and hence is
owes its existence to the trinity God, the
Phophet, and Madar. And this world would
—
frequently styled " Zinda Shah Madar." not have existed but for the three Holy cities
The prophet Mohammad gave him the — Mecca, Medina and Makunpur. At the
power of Habs-i-datn or retention of latter city an annual festival mela is still
breath. There is a class of fakirs called held in honour of the Saint.
Madaria, after his name, who are much

VII. NOTES ON RAGINIS.

By KANNOOMAL.

WHILE looking
came
library, I
for a book in a State
across an old Sans-
sung in each of them. As
given elaborate descriptions
I have already
of Nayaks and
krit manuscript on music, entitled Nayaikas m my article on Hindu
erotics in
the '
Sangit-mala.' On examining it, I the October number of "
Rupam," I do not
found that neither the name of the author deem it necessary to dwell again
upon the
nor the time of composition was given; the subject. I, therefore, refer the wader
to
copy was, however, dated the Kuar, Sam- that article for all information
-in this con-
vat year 1835 which roughly corresponds to nection. An appendix given at the end of
September 1778. This was simply the date this number (p. 114)
will show the broad
of the copy taken of the original, not the conclusions arrived at, in the
manuscript and
date of the composition of the work, which my notes thereon. Appropriate illustrations
must be very old. By the kind permission have also been given to make the
subject in-
of the librarian concerned, I was able to have terestmg and highly enjoyable.
a copy of the manuscript taken. In view The translation of the Sanskrit texts
of the importance of the subject, I trans- of the Sangit-mala together
with my notes
lated the work into English and wrote notes IS given below:

on the texts, illustrating their hidden mean-

ing. I have taken the liberty of calling these
SANGIT-MALA.
notes, rhetorical interpretations of the texts.
The translation has been lying with me for 1. After paying my reverence to the
sometime, and now I avail myself of the lotus-feet of the Mahadev and
salutations
opportunity of making it public for the bene- to the feet of the daughter of
the Himalayas
fit of the lovers of Hindu music. (Parvati) and repeatedly meditating
on the
I have all along been of opinion that name of Ganesh who is remover of all
there is an intimate connection between commence this discourse on the
difficulties, I
Hindu erotics and Hindu music; and that forms and characteristics of the six Ragas
the personifications of the Ragas and such as the Bhairav, and others, and their
ap-
Raginis given by the ancient writers on propriate times of singing for the delectation
music form the most interesting connecting of the hearts of the learned and those versed
link between the two. in the science of music.
I have made an attempt in my notes to 2 3.& The six Ragas are (1) Bhairav,
reduce the personified Ragas and Raginis to (2) Malkosh, (3) Hindol, (4) Dipaka, (5)
the characters of the Nayaks and Nayaikas Sriraga and (6) Meghmalar. Each of these
—
heroes and heroines of the Sahitya Shas- Ragas has five Raginis.
tra, and thus to find out the predominating 4. Bhairavi, Bairati, Madhumadhavi,
sentiments ruling them, which would give a Saindhavi and Bengali are the five Raginis
clue to the subject-matter of the songs to be of the Bhairav Raga.
 —

92

5. The five Raginis of the Malkosh RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.

Raga are Todi, Gaudi, Gunkalika, Khambha- The Nayaika (heroine) is a blooming
ti and Kakumbhika. young woman full of love, well-versed in the
6. The five Raginis belonging to the arts of pleasures, moderate in speech and
Hindol Raga are Ramkali, Desakhi, Lalita, modesty but one whose husband is gone to
Vilawala and Patmanjir. a distant country on business i.e.. Prosit
7. The Dipaka Raga has Desi, Kumo- Bhartaka. The Nayak (hero) is Anukul
dani Nata. Kedara and Kanhara for its five one who is devoted to only one woman.
Raginis. The prevailing sentiment is a feeling of
8. The five Raginis of the Sriraga are peace and harmony /.©.^shant ras.
Malsri, Maru, Dhanasri, Vasant and
Asavari- BAIRATI RAGINI 2.

9. Tanka, Malar, Gurjarika, Bhupali 14 &

15. This Ragini is represented
and Vibhasa are the five Raginis of the to be a white-complexioned and uncompara-
Meghmalar Raga. bly beautiful woman with her hair hang-
ing down. She is shown to be in the com-
RAGAS AND RAGINIS. pany of her loving consort who is very
1. BHAIRAV RAGA. favourably disposed towards her and whose
contact is so eagerly coveted by her. The
10 & 11. The Bhairav Raga represents
central note of this Ragini is Kharaj, though
an image of the Mahadev from whose throat
all other notes enter into her composition.
'
he has sprung with the characteristics of
having three eyes, the Ganges in the tuft of This Ragini is sung in the last proportion of
his hair, the moon in his crown, a serpent
the day in Autumn.
in his hand and a garland of skulls round his RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
neck. He is dressed in white and informed The Nayaika (heroine) is a free and
with musical notes ranging up to Dhaivat. public woman of blooming youth and
full
This Raga which is calculated to drive away sensual passions and skilful in the arts of
fever is sung in Autumn at the commence- pleasures and fond of going out without
ment of the day. modesty. She keeps her lover under her
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. thumb by her arts and indulges in various
artificial affectations. Her lover is favour-
The hero (Nayak) is Dhirodatta--one
ably disposed towards her. The prevailing
who is high-souled, unegoistic,
forgiving,
sentiment in the Ragini is Sambhog Sringar
sober, modest, even-tempered and firm-
I.e., the erotic sentiment inducing the mutual
resolved. His consort (Nayaika) is Swaya
enjoyment of a loving couple by mutually
^^^Hjne who is modest, polite and devoted to
seeing, touching, etc.
her lord, and always busy in household
duties. The central feeling in the Raga is MADHUMADHAVI RAGINI. 3.
the harmonious and peaceful sentiment and 16 & She is described as a slender-
17.
indicative of spiritual matters. waisted, delicate and golden-complexioned
young woman whose lips and eyes triumph
BH AIR AVI RAGINI 1. over those of the Khanjan' bird and whose
12 & 13. She is represented
to be a sweet voice outdoes the warble of the cuc-
fair-complexioned large-eyed female dressed koo (koel). She is as beautiful as the wife
in a white sari and red corset and a garland of Cupid. She is dressed in yellow gar-
of champa flowers thrown round her neck. ments and her hand is cast round the neck
She is shown seated on a crystal-made stool of her lover like a creeper and she is smiling
worshipping the crowned head of the Maha- and kissing her lover. The central note of
deva and singing with time well kept. This this Ragini is Macttiyamaswar and is
Ragini is sung in the Sarad (Autumn) sea- sung in Autumn in the first part of the day.
son in the morning and her central note is
Madhyama. ^A ^ecies of wagtaiL

./
 93

RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.

The Nayaika a modest-
(heroine) is
The Nayaika (heroine) is a young
polite and faithful woman busy in household
beautiful woman whose husband is in a dis-
duties. She is full of the bloom of youth tant country, in search of whom she goes out
and passion and skilful in the arts of plea- of her own choice. Her lover or husband
sures. Her lover is a Dhirodatta already is a Dhirodhata who is rash, fickle, designing
described. The prevailing sentiment is arrogant and prone to self-praise.
egoistic,
Sambhog Sringar (already described). The prevailing feeling is an erotic sentiment
remaining unsatisfied owing to the inaccessi-
SAINDHAVI RAGINI 4. bility of the lover.

18 & 19. She is a very beautiful

II RAG MALKOSH.
woman dressed in red garments with eyes
aflame with rage and holding a trident in 23 &
24. He is a young man with cam-
the hand and mana~ flowers in the ears- phor-like white person dressed in blue gar-
She is very eager for the return of her lover ments and having a fine necklace of pearls
and is worshipping Mahadeva in a sitting on his neck and holding a stick decked with
posture. The dominant note of the Ragini flowers in the hand. He is much interested
is Kharaj and is sung in Autumn in the in sporting with a number of young women.
last part of the day. The central note in this Raga is Kharaj and
he is sung in Sisar season (latter cold sea-
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. son) in the fourth part of the night by all
versed in musical science. The Ijirth-place
The Nayaika (heroine) is a jroung
Raga
of this is the throat of the Mahadeva.
blooming woman faithful to her husband
whom she scolds and thrashes on discover- RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
ing on his person marks of his having
misbehaved with another woman. Her The Nayak (hero) is Dakshan one —
lover is a Dhrista Nayak who is unashamed
who has equal love for many women. His
of his wrong act which he never acknow-
Nayaikas (wives) are modest, i>olite and
devoted to him and always disposed to do
ledges even when it is discovered- He is
fearless and unsubdued, even when scolded
household duties. The prevailing sentiment
is love manifested by perceptions such as
and thrashed. The prevailing sentiment
seeing, touching, etc.
in the Ragini is Vipralambha Sringar which
is an intense erotic sentiment remaining TODI RAGINI 1.
unsatisfied owing to the inaccessibility of
the lover. 25 &26. This Ragini is represented
to be a delicate young maid dressed in a
BENGALI RAGINI 5. white sari and a blue corset and possessed
of remarkable cleverness and nectar-like
20 & 21. She is shown dressed in fine
sweetness of speech. She is shown as
garments dyed in the solution of saffron-
delighting in offering her reverence to Sri
leaves. She has a painting of musk on the
Krishna. The predominant note of this
forehead, wears a Baini (head ornament)
on her well plaited hair and holds ashes in Ragini is Kharaj and is sung in severe
cold season at noon.
one hand and a fine trident in the other.
The dominant note in this Ragini is Kharaj RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
and is sung in Autunm in the fourth
part of the day. The Nayaika (heroine) is a young un-
22. Bengali
the fifth Ragini of the
is married girl full of passion. Her lover is
Bhairav Raga which has been here described —
Dhirprasant one full of ordinary qualities
with his Raginis. aissigned to a Nayak and of a high birth.
The prevailing sentiment is love panting for
-A red-coloured flower. the presence of the lover.
 94

GAURI RAGINI 2. KHAMBHAVATI RAGINI 4.

27 & 28. She possessed of beauty
is 31 & 32. She is described to be ne plus
that charms the eye and captivates the heart, ultra of beauty and good qualities an abode —
and in the creation of whom the Creator of joy, a storehouse of arts, a field of plea-
seems to have used his best art. She is sures and a stage for the sports of Cupid.
dressed in a white sari and her body shines She is dressed in a fine garment of saffron
like a blue lotus. Her face outvies the colour, with a corset of green cloth over her
moon, her voice surpasses the sweet warble breasts and a necklace of pearls hanging on
of a cuckoo (koel) and her ear adorned with the breasts and ornaments set with brilliant
a newly born mango-leaf looks beautiful. gems shining on the head. She has a
Her central note is Kharaj and the time nectar-like sweet voice and she is shown
of singing is the fourth part of the day busy in dancing, singing and playing on
in severe cold weather. music.
Her dominant note is Dhaivat and
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. is sung in the third part of the night. Such
The Nayaika is a young passionate is the description of Khambhavati given by
female whose husband has gone out to a dis- those who are well versed in singing and
tant country on business. Her consort is a music.
tender-hearted young man undisturbed by*
anxiety and perpetually fond of dancing,
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
.singing, etc. The prevailing sentiment is The Nayaika is a young passionate
—
Vipralambha Sringar love remaining un- publicwoman skilful in all the arts of enter-
tainment who is making preparations for the
satisfied owing to the absence of the lover.
reception of her lover. Her lover is Dhir-
GUNKALIKA RAGINI 3. one who is tender-hearted and has
lalita I.e.,
29 & 30. This Ragini is described to no anxiety and is constantly found at danc-
be a woman in dejected spirits. She is ing, singing and doing similar things.
dressed in dirty clothes and her eyes are The prevailing sentiment is love burning
incessantly shedding tears which wash her for the arrival of the lover.
breasts. She is sitting under a Kadamba^ KAKUMBHIKA RAGINI 5.
tree with loose and scattered hair, heaving
deep sighs and her body and heart are both 33 & 34. She is represented to be a
female of extremely delicate and fragile
afflicted by the anguishes of separation from
limbs which appear exhausted by a recent
her lover. The dominant note of this
indulgence. Her hair is loose, her corset
Ragini is Nishada and is sung in morning in
o£F, her garland broken and she appears
Sisar or severely cold season.
languid and exhausted by efforts in indul-
gence. The corners of her eyes being con-
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. stantly closed betrays her nocturnal vigil.
The Nayaika (heroine) is a girl of As far as singing and the art of gestulation
growing youth and passion, fearful of world- go, she occupies the first position.
ly enjoyments and easily reconcilable in a She is formed of the Dhaivatswar and
love quarrel; she is afflicted with pain owing is sung in the fourth part of the night in the
to separation from her lover who is desirous Sisar or severely cold season.
of returning to her but business prevents
him from doing so. RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
Her lover is Dhirodhat. The prevailing The Nayaika is an extremely young pub-
sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar, i.e., love lic woman skilful in all the arts of pleasure.
remaining unsatisfied owing to the inaccessi- Her lover is a tender-hearted young man
bility of the lover. free from anxieties and constantly employed
in singing, dancing and similar arts.
lA kind of tree said to put forth buds at the The prevailing sentiment is Sambhog
roaring of thunder-clouds. Sringar I. ۥ, the erotic sentiment called into

x
 —

95

play by perceptions such as seeing, touching, loving husband to a lonely place and sits
etc. there with him.
Ill HINDOL RAG. The predominating note of this Ragini
is Gandhar and is sinkg in the first part
35 &
36- This Rag whose body shines
of the day in Spring.
as it were, with the lustre of gold and who is
born of the body of the lotus-born Brahma RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
and is much given to sensual pleasures, is The Nayaika (heroine) is a young pas-
represented to be dressed in red garments
sionate but bashful woman who moves
and seated in a beautiful swing (Hindola) about in search of her lover. The Nayak
made of glittering gold covered with a variety (hero) is Dhirodhata and the prevailing
of flowers and lotuses and surrounded by
sentiment is Sambhog Sringar which has
women singing songs that delight the ear. already been described.
This Rag is sung in Spring in the first
part of the day.
LALITA RAGINI 3.

RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. 41. Shedressed in red garments and

is

The Nayak (hero) is Sath one out- — bedecked with exceedingly fine and precious
jewellery. Her face is white, her throat
wardly loving many women without being
(lips) red with betel leaves and she wears a
true to any. His women are young, sensual
garland on the neck and spreads aroynd her,
and unchaste. The prevailing sentiment is
as it were, the showers of the ne«tar of her
the erotic sentiment that has been brought
youth. The dominant note is Dhaivat and
into play by seeing or hearing about each
is sung in the first par't of the day in
other but where the lover and the beloved
Spring. Thus have described her those who
have not met each other.
are well versed in singing and music.

RAMKALI RAGNI. RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.

37 &
38. This Ragini excels all in the The Nayaika (heroine) is a fully deve-
lustre of her body which apears, as it were, loped young woman who moves about in
made of gold. She is dressed in purple gar- search of her lover. Her lover is Anukul
ments, is well bedecked with ornaments, has one who is favourably disposed towards her.
a sectarial mark painted with musk on the The prevailing sentiment is Sambhog Srin-
forehead and is full of smiles, amorous ges- gar which has eilready been described.
i tures and lascivious airs. She is shown
sitting eager to see her lover. This Ragni is VILAVALA RAGINI 4.
sung in Kharaj swar in the fourth part of the
night in Spring, but can also be sung with
42 &
43. Her body appears as it were,
made of clouds instinct with water. She
delight throughout the day.
wears a red sari on her body which resem-
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. bles a creeper and is well bedecked with all
kinds of beautiful ornaments. She is shown
The Nayaika
(heroine) is a young
sitting at the door of the courtyard of her
woman who moves about on a dark night in
house with attention fully directed towards
search of her lover. Her lover is Dhiro-
the return of hei* lover.
dhatta that has been described in the preced-
This Ragini is sung in the Dhaivat
ing pages. The prevailing sentiment in this
note in the first part of the day in Spring.
Ragini is Vipralambha Sringar which has
also been noticed before.
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
DESAKHI RAGINI 2.
The Nayaika (heroine) is a fully devel-
39 & This Ragini is a beautiful
40. oped young woman who moves about in
tall woman full of martial feelings and wear- quest of her lover. The Nayak (lover) is
ing an angry appearance. She despises all Dhirodhata and the prevailing sentiment is
rivals in her pijide and takes away her Vipralambha Sringar.
 —

96

PATMANJARI RAGINI 5. ment is of mutual enjoyment with percep-

44 & 45. This Ragini is describeid to be tional feelings.
an extremely female withering
emaciated
KAMODNI RAGINI 2.
away in separation from her lover
to such a
degree that her life is despaired of. She has 48 & 49. The Ragini is well dressed
in a fine yellow-coloured sari and a white
on her neck a garland of withered flowers
and she has abstained from food, drink, sleep corset. Her underwear is of red cloth and
and speech and is smarting under the pangs she speaks sweet as a cuckoo (koel). She is
of separation. The dominant note of this looking about in all the ten directions for
Ragini is Pancham and is sung in the the arrived of her lover and sitting in the
second part of the night in Spring. forest in a concentrated mood of mind.
This is sung in Dhaivatswar in Summer
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. at noontime.
The Nayaika is a modest and
(heroine)
polite woman devoted her husband who has
to RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
gone to a distant country on business. The The Nayaika is a fully developed young
Nayak (hero) is Dhirodatta and the pre- woman of passion. Her lover is Dhiro-
full
vailing sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar dhata. The prevailing sentiment is Vipra-
the erotic sentiment which at its height lambha Sringar.
remains unsatisfied owing to the unavail-
ability of the lover. NATA RAGINI 3.

'
IVDIPAKARAG. 50 & 51. She
dressed in a red sari
is
and decked out with all kinds of ornaments.
46. This Rag
has sprung from the eye She is clever, charming and radiant like gold.
of the sun and seated on a mad elephant,
is She is very careful of her secrets, and by her
radiating in the effulgence of his body, which charms, captivates the heart of her lover.
puts pomegranate flowers to shame. He is She takes delight in acrobatic antics, and in
exceedingly handsome and wears a necklace the course of indulging in such a gambol,
of matchless pearls and is surrounded by her hand is resting on the neck of a horse.
women. The Rag is sung in the Kharaj The Kharaj swar is her dominant note
note in Summer at noon. and her time of singing is the fourth part of
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. the day in Summer.
The Nayak (hero) is a crafty fellow RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
showing love to many women without being
true to anyone while his women are faithful, The Nayaika is a young unmarried girl
young, passionate and skilful in all the arts full of passion and so skilful in the arts of
of pleasure. The prevailing sentiment is pleasures that her lover does not like to
Sambhog Sringar. leave her even for a moment and is totally
enamoured of her. Her Nayak is Anukul,
DESI RAGNI. one who is most favourably disposed to-
47. This favourite Ragini of Dipaka- wards her. The prevailing sentiment is
Rag is of an extremely beautiful appearance
wearing green garments and fine ornaments.
—
Sambhog Sringar the feeling of love in the
course of mutual enjoyment attended with
She is lasciviously disposed and is seated on such perceptions as seeing, touching, etc.
a couch by the side of her sleeping lover in a
restless mood. KEDAR RAGINI 4.
The dominant note of this Ragini is
Kharaj and is sung in Summer at noontime. 52. This Ragini is shown to be guis-
ed like a female ascetic. A snake is cast
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. athwart her body for a holy thread, the infant
The Nayaika is a fully developed young moon is worn on her head and the Ganges
woman intent upon having her lover. Her rests in the coil of her hair. This Ragini is
lover is Dhirodhata. The prevailing senti- sung in Nesadhswar in Summer at noontime.
 —

97

RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. red garments and a gold tinted corset. She

The Nayaika a faithful woman whose
is is in anguish owing to the separation from
husbsind has gone to a distant country on her lover. She is shown standing under a
business. The Nayak is Dhirprasant one — mangoe tree with her hand laid on the arm of
endowed with the qualities of a Nayak and a female companion and smiling.
belongs to a high caste. The prevailing The dominant note is Kharaj and the
sentiment is Vipralambha Purvraga the — season and time of singing this Ragini are
sentiment of love which has sprung up on Hemant or early cold season «md noontime.
seeing or hearing about a lover but remains
unsatisfied owing to the latter's absence.
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
The Nayaika is .a young woman who
KANHARA RAGINI 5 feels herself slightedby her lover inasmuch
53 & 54. This Ragini has a white as he has not come to her having appointed
sandal mark on the forehead, a shining sword the time and place. Her lover is Dhirodhata.
in the right hand and a fine elephant 's tusk The sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar.
in the left. She wears a white sari on her
body which radiates with the lustre of gold. MARU RAGINI 2.
Her attendants are the celestial musicians. 59, 60 & 61. Her god-like bright body
This Ragini is sung in Nishadswar in Sum- is dressed in golden garments. She has a
mer in the first part of the night. garland of many kinds of flowers on her
Thus
is she described by those who are neck.
well versed in musical science. Her neck and voice are beautiful. Her
mind is agitated by the feeling^ born of
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. intense love. She is of such a great beauty
The Nayaika is a young passionate that all women covet her an^ desire to kiss
woman well skilled in the arts of pleasure her. She is shown seated in a chair at the
but whose husband has gone to a distant appointed place.
country on business. Her lover is Dhrista This Ragini is sung in the Kharaj swar
one who is unashamed of his wrong act even in early cold season in the fourth part of the
when discovered in doing so and who defends day.
his wrong position by false arguments,
assuming at the same time a defiant attitude.
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
The prevailing sentiment is. Vipralambha The Nayaika is an intensely young and
the intense erotic sentiment remaining un- passionate woman who has made prepar-
satisfied owing to the absence of the lover.
ations for the reception of the lover who is
Dhirodatta. The sentiments is Vipralambha
V SRIRAGA. Sringar.
55 & 56. This Raga is dressed in red
DHANASARI RAGINI 3.
garments and wears a necklace of diamonds.
He is beautiful like the Cupid and his voice 62.She is emaciated and her red gar-
is sweet. He holds a lotus in his hand and ments are wet with her tears as she is
looks well dressed in every way. The weeping. She is without her companions
dominamt note of this Rag is Kharaj and and is extremely afflicted by the pain of
the time of singing is the fourth part of separation from her lover.
the day in Hemant or early cold season. The time and season of singing this
Ragini are noontime and Hemant or early
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. cold season.
The Nayak is Dhirprasant already des- RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
cribed. The Nayaika is an unmarried young
girl. The sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar.
The Nayaika is a growing young woman
fearful of worldly pleasures and easily
MALSRI RAGINI. reconcilable in a love quarrel. She is afflicted
57 & 58. This Ragini has a very deli- by the non-arrival of her lover who was
cate body as bright as gold and is dressed in desirous of returning but something detained
 98

him. The Nayak is Dhirodhata and the RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.

sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar. The Nayak (hero) is Dhirprasant i.e.,
one possessing all the qualities of a Nayak
BASANT RAGINI 4.
and is of high birth. The Nayaika is an
63 &
64. She is of a lovely, dark appear- unmarried girl not bound by conventional
ance as the sweet smell comes out of her rules. The sentiment is Vipralambha
lotus-like mouth and a swarm of black bees Sringar.
gather about her face and make a humming TANKA RAGINI.
sound. She has the beauty and lustre of the
68. In order to avoid the heat of the
person of Cupid and youth that captivates affliction of her heart, she is lying on a
young men. Her breasts are hard and lotus-made couch burning with the pains of
she holds buds of mangoe plants in her lotus-
separation from her lover and heaving deep
like hands.
sighs. The dominant note of this Ragini is
This Ragini is sung in Kharaj swar in
Kharaj and is sung at night in a rainy
Spring in the second part of the day.
season.
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
The Nayaika is a young passionate The Nayaika is a modest, polite and
woman who is well skilled in all the arts of faithful woman in her teens, who is expert
pleasure and who moves about in search of owing to the
in all the arts of pleasure and
her lover. Her lover Dhirodhata.
is The separation from her lover, is afflicted at
sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar. heart Her lover is Anukul or one favour-
ably disposed towards her. The sentiment
ASAVARI RAGINI 5. (lUus. Fig. 1.)
is Vipralambha Sringar.
65 &
66. 'Her bewitching appearance
is that of a cloud and she is dressed in fine MALAR RAGINI 2. (lUus. Fig. 2.)
white garment. She is sitting under a kadam 69 & She is of extremely delicate
70.
tree entertwined with snakes in a cool white limbs and exuberant youth and looks
watery place. surpassingly lovely and charming. She
This Ragin! is sung in Dhaivatswar in has a lovely neck and charming voice,
Hemant or early cold season in the first half and is struggling with the anguishes of sepa-
part of the day by experts in music. ration with utmost fortitude. She is playing
beautifully on a Vina (guitar) held in her
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. hand, well remembering the good qualities
The Nayaika is a bold public woman of her lover but her face is covered with
moving about in white clothes on a full-moon tears. This Ragini is sung in the Dhaivat-
night in search of her lover. Her lover is swar in the last three parts of the night in
Dhirodhata and the sentiment is Vipralambha rainy season.
Sringar — the intense feeling of love not ful- RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
filled by the meeting of the lover. '

The Nayaika is a young passionate

VI MEGHMALAR RAGA. woman endowed with the qualities of mod-
esty, courtesy and extreme devotion to her
67.This Raga has spnmg from the husband who has gone to a distant country on
sky. He is dressed in dark-coloured gar- business. Her lover (husband) is Anukul or
ments. He is white complexioned and one favourably disposed towards her. The
wears a crown of coiled hair on the head. sentiment is intensely erotic but held in
Being a soldier he holds a sword in the hand check owing to the lover not being close by.
and is of such a handsome appearance that
he subdues the hearts of all men. This GURJARI RAGINI 3.

Raga is sung by experts in music in beautiful 71 & This Ragini wears a red sari
72.
tones in the fourth part of the night in rainy and yellow corset and is exceedingly beauti-
season. ful. Her waist is slender, her hair fine and
 99

her voice imitates the warble of a cuckoo pleasure, and cunning enough to bring her
(koel). She is fond of abundance of lover under her control. She has made
drapery and is seated on a couch, well preparations for the reception of her lover
arranged with sweet-smelling flowers, in an and is herself dressed in white to meet him
angry mood, and engaged in singing. The on a full-moon night. The lover is a faith-
dominant note of this Ragini is Rikhabh and less fellow who is apparently in love with
the season and time of singing it are the many women. The sentiment is Vipralam-
rainy season and the morning. bha Sringar.

RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. VIBHAS RAGINI 5.

The Nayaika is a bold sensuous public 74 & 75. Her face is like the full moon
woman, whose lover comes to her bearing adorned with a sectarial mark (chatrak), her
marks of infidelity to her, giving rise to her body white and her breasts stiff adorned
jealousy. The lover is therefore Satha or with necklaces of pearls and is thus very
one who takes delight in outwardly loving charming and lovely. She cannot bear
many women without being true to anyone. separation from her lover even for a moment
The sentiment is Vipralambha Sringar and is clever enough to vanquish him by
where the love is intense but this feeling means of her amorous gestures, sly eye-
cannot be indulged in owing to the lover not glances and passionate feelings. She is
being close by. well disposed towards her lover, to whom she
is devoted and with whom she eagerly
BHUPALI RAGINI 4. desires to have enjoyment.
73. Her person bright as
beautiful This Ragini is sung in the Kha'raj swar
gold is dressed in very fine white garments in the fourth part of the night in the rainy
and adorned with precious ornaments. She
has a beautiful sectarial mark of saffron
(on her forehead) and is very eager to put RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION.
a garland of flowers round the neck of her The Nayaika (heroine) is a fully devel-
lover. oped young woman full of sensuous
This Ragini is sung at night time in the feelings, who has managed to bring her
rainy season. lover under her control. The Nayak
(hero) is Anukul being well disposed towards
RHETORICAL INTERPRETATION. her. The sentiment is the mutual enjoy-
The Nayaika (heroine) is Pragalbha i.e., ment of a loving couple with all perceptional
one who isintensely young, full of sensuous appendages of love such as seeing,
passions and skilful in all the arts of embracing, kissing, etc., etc.

VIII. -EXHIBITION OF INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS.

Interview with Mr. Cousins. collection includes specimens of painting of nearly
(Special Interview. —" The Chronicle.")
30 Indian artists. Babu Asit Kumar Haldar, whose
drawing shows a unique power that is full of very-
THE Exhibition of Indian Arts and Crafts,
under the auspices of The 1921 Club, Art
great promise for the future even more than what
it has achieved already, had come here to assist Mr.
Section, Madras, was opened on the Ist of James H. Cousins who was in charge of the exhibits
March in the Y. M. I. A. Buildings, in painting, the handicrafts section being in charge
Georges Town, by Lady Emily Lutyens, wife of of Mrs. Adzdr. Mr. Cousins is an enthusiastic
Sir Edwin the weU-known architect,
Lutyens, admirer of the Bengal School (as you will doubt-
and the sister of Lord Lytton. The chief less infer from the following interview I had with
interest in the Exhibition were the examples him) and he is one of the pillars of support w^hich
of the work of the Modern Bengal School it has been the good fortune of the Neo-Bengal
of painting, though the Moghul and Mediaeval paint- School to secure from this good friend of India.
ings were also among the exhibits on view. The Tile present exhibition of Ind'an paintings is the
 lOU

fifth of its kind that has been organised through I understand the mental limitations which
the zeal and initiative of Mr. Cousins, who is now see courage only in physical action, and
the Secretary of the Art Section of the 1921 Club. fail to see it in the exquisite calm expres-
I may perhaps add that the Art Section itself is
sion of mental and spiritual vision. Humour of
free from politics, though the Club is a distinct the comic paper variety is certainly not present to
political organisation.
any extent in these pictures, save perhaps in the
The Exhibition rooms were very plainly and case of Mr. G. N. Tagore's somewhat keen-edged
tastefully set out. A white back-ground shows up satires. But it appears to me that humour is
the seventy and odd representative pictures which valuable in the West as a set-off to the tragic ele-
are mounted on simple white or coloured cardboard ment which is inherent in the Western conception
as the artistic necessities of the picture may de- of Life and Death. Whereas in India the idea of
mand. The pictures in groups (as in the case of Life as a continuous succession, of which the
the sketches by Mr. Haldar) were pinned on wood- present life is only one phase, takes the tragedy out
en screens. The exhibition gave one the impression of things. The Sanskrit drama, for example, for
of simplicity humility and repose. the reason I have stated, has no tragedies.
Mr. Cousins, to whom I wrote for an inter- Tragedy and comedy belong to the lower slopes
view, kindly received me at the Exhibition rooms, of the hill of life: the Bengal artists paint from the
and I give below the full report of the interview summit. As to bad drawing, I remember hearing
which vrill throw a flood of light on the art that is this charge levelled against AE in Ireland long
unfortunately little understood by Indians ago. Yet, people used to come from America to
themselves. attend his exhibitions and carry his paintings home
—
Question. What is the fundamental differ- as trophies. The pictures of the Bengal School
are not to be classified as " drawings." They are
ence between the art of the West and of the
Neo-Bengal School? visual expressions of moods and visions of the
—
Answer. The answer to this question was, soul, in which there is a higher accuracy than that
of the inch-tape. Many of the paintings are ana-
1 think, unconsciously given by two visitors to the
gallery, both Europeans. One dismissed the tomically normal, and indicate purpose in other
entire collection as being stiff and uninteresting, pictures which do not agree with the conventional
with the possible exception of one picture that — habit of the eye.
of a man shotting an arrow at a pair of doves on a —
Question. Then, agjun, there is the charge
tree. The other, evidently moved by something that the artists of the Bengal School ignore the
in the collection, passed slowly from picture to rules of proportion in their drawing of the limbs
picture. I hazarded the question as to whether he and of the hands. What is your own view regard-
cared for them. He replied: "They fascinate ing this?
me." "Why?" 1 asked. "Because," said he, Answer.— My view is that a little more
" every one of them expresses soul." I think that observation and thought would put this charge out
is just the difference. Western art has been given of court, as happened in my own case. I resented

the Dharma of expressing the muscularity, vigour the elongated eyes and snaky fingers of the Bengal
and emotion of life. The Bengal artists (indeed, pictures when I first saw them. But afterwards,
one might say, all true Indian artists) are the when I saw these same features on visiting Bengal,
natural expressors of the higher mental and spiritu- I realised that I had been labouring under the same

al aspects of humanity and nature. Western surt mental disability as most Europeans and many
represents things as they are viewed from the out- Indians, in assuming that what I was familiar with
side. Eastern art interprets things from the inside. was the normal and accurate, and that naturally
Question. —To a Western art-critic the any variation from it was abnormal and inaccurate.
characteristics of the Bengsd School appear to be —
There is this also to be remembered that when
its gloominess, its lack of courage and humour, and the artists are depicting Divinity and Super-
a very imperfect knowledge of drawing except in humanity they revert to the ancient Shastric rules
one or two isolated cases. Have these charges any for such depiction. Two excellent examples of
basis? the difference between these methods were upon
Answer. —The " gloominess " is a matter of the walls of the Exhibition, Dr. A. N. Tagore's
taste —or, perhaps, should rather say habit which
I "Buddha" and his "Divine Craftsman: Viswa-
has become prejudice. Painting may be the direct karman " which was exhibited for the first time
expression of the artist's genius and environment, this year in Calcutta. The first is a supremely
but it may also be the expression of some counter- beautiful expression of the calm of illumination.
balancing need. Western artists seek the short The proportions are perfectly normal. The second
summer light because for eight months in the year is built entirely on the so-called " false anatomy."
they live in semi-darkness. Indian artists seek But this anatomy is that of the Shastras which
for relief from the constant superfluity of provide conventional idealistic form and measure-
light and heat in the short but magical ment for the expression of that which is beyond
morning and evening hours, just after dawn form and measurement. When one accepts this
and before sunset. I do not understand the convention, as one accepts the convention of sing-
charge of " lack of courage " though, I think, ing in drama, one is then free to comprehend the
 101

vast conception which the artist has succeeded in to find persons who would regard the picture*
giving visual expression to in tjie apace of fifty of the Bengal School as unnational, seeing that
square inches. there is not a single spinning wheel in the whole
—
Question. What do you think of the charge of collection! But taking the permanent things of
inutation that is levelled against the younger mem- India, so far as I can comprehend them, as a stand-
bers of the Bengal School? —
ard spiritual idealism, gentleness, simplicity,
—
Answer. I don't think very much of it. All —
beauty, delicacy I certainly think that the work of
young artists, in any art, imitate one another. But the Bengal School is truly nationaL
if they have the full vision and expression, they —
Question. Will the Neo-Bengal School exert
disclose something of their own, which makes even any considerable influence on the art or the world?
a repetition of the subject already done valuable to If so, in what direction?
the art-lover. There are several pictures in the —
Answer. Yes, it not only will exert a consid-
Exhibition dealing with " Radha and Krishna," and erable influence on the art of the world, but has
some Indian visitors have complained that they already done so. Some years ago an Exhibition
are all different from one zmother ! There is more of the paintings of the School in Paris and London
danger in an imitation of himself than of
artist's attracted a great amount of attention and
others, for repetition is a sign of decay of power. the works exhibited in December and Jsuiuary last
Question —
Do you hold that the Bengal at the home Exhibition of the Indian Society of
Oriental Art in Calcutta are to be sent to Europe. I
School of painting is truly expressive of the Indian
genius ? myself exhibited a set of the pictures in Japan three
—
Answer. I hold that the Bengal School is one years ago, have received invitations to show
true expression of the Indism genius, but I look for similar pictures in America if at any time my fate
other equally true expressions arising in other parts takes me to that country. The direction in which
of the country. The object of bringing this these pictures will influence the art of the world
collection of Bengal paintings to Madras is not to will be upwards, by which 1 mean that it will have
turn Madras art students into copyists of the the tendency to direct Western art towards the
Bengal School. Rather do we hope that these finer impulses and suggestions of the Spirit. The
pictures will act (to use a homely figure of speech) present confusion in art outside India arises from
as a bucket of water put down a dry pump in order the exhaustion of the eye and the lower
to provoke it to send its own water to the surface. emotions. This exhaustion cannot be relieved
—
Question. Has it the stamp of what one through fantastic variations of things seen and
might call the national characteristic? felt, such as have been attempted by the Cubists,
—
Answer. It depends on what you mean by Futurists and similar groups of revolutionaries in
"national!" There is a tendency in times of art : it can only be relieved by a raising of the con-
national emotion to regard as unnational anything sciousness of the artist to a higher level, the level
that does not agree with the enthusiasms of the of the Spirit. This, the work of the Bengal
day, and from this point of view it might be possible School is helping to do.

REVIEWS.
HIROSHIGE BY YONE NOGUCHI, AUTHOR OF "THE SPIRIT OF JAPANESE ART,"
ETC., WITH 19 COLLOTYPE ILLUSTRATIONS AND A COLOURED FRONTISPIECE.
ORIENTALIA, NEW YORK 1921. PRICE 3 DOLLARS.

THE western
pieces
appreciation of the master-
Japanese colour-prints, which
of
of the Samurai and the fact that many of the old
masters were priests make it easy to understand
was an offshoot of the Uki-yo-ye
in itself —
why to this day the art of UJti-yo-ye the floating
School has been a matter of some em- world of pleasure and desire is discredited by the
barrassment to the Japanese connoisseurs of aristocracy of Japan. The colour-prints repre-
aristrocracy. The colour-prints have all along sented a truly democratic art, its followers being
been frowned upon by the military aristo- men of the artisan classes, its customers, the com-
crats vtrho inrevolt at the profligacy of the mon people. Their works have been ignored by the
Genroku era had instituted a Puritanical reaction, cultured classes. These artisaoi-artists were men
but the pleasure-loving populace welcomed with of little or no education. Toyo-Kumi was the s<hi
delight this reflection in the mirror of art of a maker of puppets, Kunisada, a keeper of ferry-
of their favourite pursuits and pleasures which boat, Kokkie a fish-hawker. Hokusai for many
included the theatre and their actors who were years hawked about red pepper and calendars in th*
tabooed by the upi«er classes. The lofty standard streets of Yedo. It is a matter of surprise to the
 —

102

cultured Japanese to find how these despised the forms of Chinese prosody could only come from
" vulgarities " are prized by European collectors a local connoisseur. His ansdysis of the character
and veduing them themselves they have
little of Japauiese landscape and its supreme exponent ia>
exported them wholesale so that a comparatively very subtle and profound. " I might be blamed as
few prints are nowleft in Japan — the bulk of the a vague critic, if I say that any artist whatever he
finest examples have been picked up by foreign be, idealist or resdist, or what not, is always good
collectors and have since found their way to the when he is true to his own art; but it is true, I
various public collections in Europe and America. think, that even the seeming realistic picture of
And a quite formidable literature has now Japanese art, when it is splendidly executed is
grown round their studies chiefly contributed by always subjective. I will say that the good picture,
Strange and Seidiltz in Europe and by Fenollosa and although it might appear idealistic superficially, i&
Mapper in America. It was the colour-prints that surely a work which never forgets the part of
first aroused the interest of the European in realistic expression. Hiroshige's landscapes are
Japanese art and it is from them that in most exactly like that. Perhaps he might be called a
cases he still derives his first impressions. It is realist or objective artist from the point that our
said that Whistler made his first acquaintance with artistic mood is slowly but steadily led into trees,
Japanese art from a printed wrapper on a pound of sky, rivers and mountsuns through his just expres-
tea. The influence of Japanese art on Whistler sion of the relation between nature and men; but
and Degas is very well known. And the tribute who can declare that he was an artist who only and
that has been paid by Western connoisseurs to realistically followed after superficial Nature? The
these negjected masterpieces of the artisan-artists realistic elements of his art played successfully the
is now re-acting on Japanese connoisseurship. The most important service to bring out more distinct-
great masters, Hokusai and Hiroshige have received ly the definable qusdity which, as I have no better
their first worships in the west, and local connois- word, I will call atmosphere or pictorial person-
seurs are now beginning to take an interest in these ality; I think that it is more true to call him an
productions*^and adjudge their merits on aesthetic idealist or subjective artist. He is the most nation-
considerations which social and political consider- al landscape artist of Japan and it seems that —he
ations had hitherto ignored. learned this secret from Chinese landscape art
And this tiny little but enthusiastic study of how to avoid feminity suid confusion."
the works of Hiroshige by the great national poet Mr. Noguchi's study does not pretend to be
of Japan is an ample evidence of how " Hiroshige in an exhaustive monograph on the artist but a new
the West" is influencing an understanding of the contribution to an understanding from local and
urt prophet in his own country. As Mr. Noguchi national standpoint and will undoubtedly help to
remarks, Hiroshige is entering into his third period educate old connoisseurs cmd to qualify new
—
in Europe i.e. the period of adjustment or real ones to a correct £md trained appreciation of the
criticism. The first period when he was a mere merits of an artist who, with Hokusai, his rival,
curiosity and the second period when he sufiFered occupies an unique position in the history of
from an indiscriminating and foolish reception are Japanese art. A warm word of praise is due to the
now a past story. But I feel ashamed to say that achnirable series of nineteen finely executed
he is only entering into his second period in Japan. Collotypes which are undoubtedly an attractive
Mr. Noguchi is not the first local worshipper of the feature of the volume; the frontispiece is a wood-
great artist who has already found an ardent block in colour after one of a series of a character-
admirer in Mr. Kojima. But for many reasons a istic rain-pieces for which the artist was justly
special interest attaches to this subtle and discrimi- famous. We wish we could extend our compliment
nating appreciation of the great Japanese artist by to the printing and typography which are not quite
a great Japanese poet. As Mr. Noguchi points
—
out : " Hiroshige since discovered in the West,
worthy of this tribute particularly when we com-
pare this production with the American tribute to
was interpreted and reconstructed by a decidedly the artist which Pora Amseden published under the
new understanding; so he is to a certain degree, a title of " The Heritage of Hiroshige " in 1912. The
discovery or creation of the westerners. I think
present work was printed and produced in Japan
therefore, it is proper to look upon him with the
and although the general get up in characteristic
western point of criticism and Hiroshige, seen
Japanese binding is attractive enough, the typo-
through the Japanese eye, would be more or less
different from the " Hiroshige in the West." And graphy and proof reading certainly call for some
improvement. We have discovered as many as ten
although Mr. Noguchi pays a decent compliment
mistakes in a letterpress of 32 pages. It is none-
to western connoisseurs and suggests that recent
theless a creditable endeavour on the part of that
Japanese criticism of Hiroshige is based on the
western valuation, the light that he himself throws enterprising publishing house " Orientalia " which
on Hiroshige is in many respects new, and illumin- has specialised in catering for American thirst for
ating of hidden and undiscovered beauties of the oriental literature. We understand the publisher
great master. has in preparation a study of Korin and Kenzan
His subtle and ingenious derivation of the in the same series, which we hope will be worthy
theory of Hiroshige's manner of composition from of its predecessor.

V
 103

ALT "BUDHISTISCHE MALEREI responds to an abstract, mathematical composition,

JAPANS " by Waiiam Cohn. Bibliothek the rigidity of which is smoothed by the splendour
der Kunstgeschichte, Band XIII, LeipziK of colours and a grand and quiet rhythm of lines.
1921. Directed in its evolution by China, Japanese
In this booklet ancient Buddhist painting in expression came into its own as late as the tenth
Japan is illustrated in twenty good reproductions century when the Amida-religion brought back the
which are introduced by a few pages of historical figures of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from trans-
and artistic criticism. The representation is clear cendental majesty to the life and loveliness of
and the illustrations are well selected. That Japan nature. This lyrical beauty, however, soon degen-
owed its pictorial tradition to China, and China to erated into a sentimentsJ and gorgeous decoration
India, that Japan, China and Korea together formed of the Gods who became reduced to human size, so
one body of Eastern Asiatic Buddhist art, and that that in the 13th century the weakened Buddhist
therefore Chinese Turkestan in the West and Japan tradition was easily swept away by the sublime
in the East are border regions of the East Asiatic fervour of Zen-art. Mr. William Cohn's short out-
art centre, independent of Chandhara nourished line is a tactful g^uide for those whom it makes
merely by that mighty stream of invention and acquainted with the radiating, graceful dignity of
convention which had its source in India, is con- Japanese Buddist-paintings. The booklet is vol.
firmed by the style of the paintings. The masters XIII, of a " Library of Art-history," i55hich illus-
of these solenui pictures, truly oriental artists, trates in a similar way in many other volumes the
used to hide their individuality behind the great art of near and remote ages and countries by many
names of the leading saints of their age. That is a good reproduction and a short and illuminating
the reason why many Kakemonos are attributed to text and all that at a very popular price. Why has
—
Chisho and Kobo-Daishi for instance; the found- no Indian publisher yet started a similar series in
ers of the Shingon ject, whilst almost every order to make Indian art known in its different
representation of Amida is supposed to be the work phases and aspects to the unsuspecting public and
of Eshin Sozu who promulgated the message of all those who are waiting for it?
Amdia in Japan. This impersonal authorship cor- STELLA KRAMP^SCH.

THE MUSIC OF INDIA, BY H. A. POPLY (HERITAGE OF INDIA SERIES), CALCUTTA,

1922, PRICE Re. 1|8.

THE is
Music of India by Mr. H. A. Poply, B. A.,
a recent publication on the science and
days of Western aggression in thought and ideals.
Now the audible music of India by which we
art of Indian Music. In these days of mean both the vocal (Kantha) and the Instrumental
revival of Indian thought and culture it (Yantra), apart from its original classification
is indeed a timely contribution to help the students into Marga (Scientific) and Deshi (Local and popul-
of Indian thought in their interpretation of the ar) has now come to divide itself into two principal
musical art of India and their appreciation of the Schools, namely, the Southern School and the
ideas and ideals of Indian esthetics. Indian Northern School. It is gratifying that the author
Music as a means and medium of India's has made a fair attempt to give his readers a bird's-
artistic and esthetic self-giving, is
expression eye view of the Deshi music of both the Schools,
essentiallyHindu Music which reveals itself in the within the short compass of his small volume. A
harmony (Sangati) of the Vocal (Kantha) the comparative study of the music as devc?oped by
Instrumental (Yantra) and the Dramatic (Natya) the two Schools will make it clear that apart from
—the three dimensions of Indian Musical thought. the differences arising from nomenclature, orna-
As such it is but a synthesis of Indian painting and mentation and artistic expression, which are due to
poetry embracing concisely or in details both the differences in the provincial consciousness,
the audible —
(Sravya vocal or instrumental) there is really no essential diflference between the
and the visible —
(Drishya dramatic) music two Schools so far as the laws of tonology and
of India. And thoug;h the visible or the canons of composition giving colour and form to
Dramatic Music of India comprising acting a piece of music are concerned, save and except
(Abhinaya) and —
Dancing both Decorative that the Southern School has developed a distinct
(Nritya) and Thematic —
(Nritya) played an
intergral part in the evolution of the artist
tendency to sink into chromatic scales.
several interesting
However, of the
life of India and the estheticism of her moral chapters inserted in the book, the most
relations as revealed in her religious observances important ones are the "Development of
and social ceremonies; the learned author has en- the Scale" and —
" Raga the basis of
tirely left this aspect out of his consideration and melody." We heartily thank the author for the
has exclusively devoted his pages to a restatement great pains he has taken in compiling and re-stating
in brief of what comes within the purview the generalisations arrived at in regard tO' these
of the audible music as it still prevails by his predecessors and supply links to connect
generally everywhere in India even in these together the detached fragments of a subject never
 —

104

yet presented to the reading public in the form of In the Bengal School of music Raja S. M. Tagore
an original whole from the modern point of view. still reigns supreme among the educated musi-
It is worthy of note here that in doing this the cians but his interpretation and definition of the
author has drawn laurgely from Prof. Bhatkhande. scale of Shudha Swara mela being not consistent
But Prof. Bhatkhande's interpretation and deter- with the traditionzd notion and conception of the
mination of the scale of Shudha Swara mela in Shuddha Gram has not been accepted by the
Indian Music or his classification of the Ragas orthodox musicians. Be that as it may, it must be
under ten di£Ferent heads of particular and peculiar admitted on all hands that Prof. Bhatkhande has
array of notes Imown by the name ' Shat ' in c(Hn- greatly improved and elaborated upon the codifi-
mon parlance is neither new nor accepted by cations of the late Raja Tagore. The learned author
musicians generally. In recent times it was Raja has done it well, therefore, to summarise
S. M. Tagore, who wanted to classify the Ragas Mr. Bhatkhande's conclusions in this his little
under certain melody-moulds and he attempted to volume to make it up-to-date and we have much
do it by selecting, the scale of Behag as the scale
'
' pleasure to recommend the book to our readers.
of Shuddha Sadaji just as Prof. Bhatkhande has
done by fixing his mind on the scale of ' Belavali.' K. C. GHOSH VEDANTA CHINTAMONI.

L'ALPONA OU LES DECORATIONS RITUELLES AU BENGALE, EDITIONS BOSSARD,

PARIS, 43 RUE MADAME, PRICE 6 FRANCS.

WE are grateful to Mile. Andree Karpeles and

Mr. Tapan Mohan Chatterjee for this
very attractive French version of Dr.
practice of decorating low stools or
(' —
wooden
tabourets ') with Rangoli the name given to
seats

Alpona in the local dialect—:still prevaUs, but there

Abanindra Nath Tagore's Banglar Vrata also there is no cultus behind it and these artistic
a book which was published in Bengali, we believe decorations are not entertwined with feminine
some thre-^ years ago. It is not exactly a regular vrata observances, which Dr. Tagore opines, go far
an abridgement of the origin-
trajislation, but rather —
back to pre-Aryan practices the rituals of the
al made from transcription by Mr. Tapan Mohan Arya-Vratas (people with different religious
Chatterjee which preserves all its salient features. observances) as our Aryan ancestors used to
There are 50 illustrations of Alponas carefully designate them. The Kathas or poetic narratives
selected out of the hundred and twenty examples attached to these cults are speciaUy noteworthy to
given by Dr. Tagore, which serve sufficiently to students of comparative mythology as they are
explain the text. These ephemeral decorations very interesting examples of Nature Myths which
painted generaUy on the ground in the courtyards have evolved solely among the softer sex untram-
and floors of Indian houses, and on flat surfaces of melled by any influence of the ancient Vedas to —
—
wooden seats Sourish only inside the Zenana and which, by the way, women had no access at a later
as the authoress has truly observed, are the naive age—or of the legendary accounts given in the
expressions of poetic souls which have not been Puranas. In some cases Braminical orthodoxy has
spoiled by civilizing influences. The material tried to set its seal on some of these cult rites, but
usually employed is rice powder mixed with water the attempt is clumsy and, as Dr. Tagore has shown,
and powdered chalk and a few simple colours like the patchwork can easily be detected. Yet what
red ochre, yellow orpiment, etc., are also used on consanguinity there is between these VrataKathaa
occasions. No brushes or pencils are employed but and some of the Vedic hymns! Dr. Tagore has
only the supple ends of pliant feminine fingers. In translated into English a few verses of these femin-
Southern India, ini places like Tinnevelly, Trichino- ine invocations from a solar cult the Magh —
poly and Tanjore, Hindu women decorate a portion Mandal Vrata—in order to better emphasise the
of the pathway in front of the doorsteps as a sort similarity and to make it apparent to those who are
of diurnal observance; but it does not appear that learned in Vedic lore.
these decorations, beautiful as they are, are " Young Moon, daughter of Spring, has untied
associated with any distinct cult as in Bengal. An
her tresses, and the Sun goes seeking her through
opportunity of scrutinizing the South Indian
many lands. Spring's daughter, the Young Moon,
Alponas at close quarters, informed us, that the has unfolded her silver robe and the Sun peeps into
scroll work latas, or " liances " as MUe. Karpeles
many houses seeking her. The slender Moon, the
very aptly calls them, are the distinguishinsr lovely Maidan begotten of Spring, is wearing her
features of Bengali Alponas and that the ladies of silver anklets, the sight of which makes the Sun
Southern India are more devoted to lotus symbols seek union with her in marriage."
somewhat resembling those given in pag^s 75 and 82
of the book. It is also an interesting fact that the It is necessary to bear in mind that the cults

—
Orissan craftsmen no distant cousins of the with which these different ritual decorations are so
—
mediaeval sculptors of the Bengal School excel in closely related are associated intimately with the
scroll work decorations as their temple sculptures change of seasons and can very well he called the
still bear witness. In Bombay Presidency the ceremonies of the seasonal cycle. MUe. Karpeles
 105

has called them les ceremonies des Sept seasons'

' intrepid boat-men, but of theWestern portion of
but in point of fact and as a matter of general the province associated with the time-honoured
acceptance there are only six seasons (Shada Ritu) traditions of Srimata and Chand Soudagar. It
in Bengal —Summer, the Rainy season, Autumn, seems to be reminiscent of the spacious days des-
Hemanta, Winter and Spring. The true rendering cribed by Kavikankan Mukundlkram, when our
of Hemanta would be La saison de la rose ' and
' merchant mariners adventured far into the open
there is no separate season of this name intervening sea in search of pearls, conch-shells and spices of the
between —Hemanta and Winter. balmy isles of the Indian Archipelago; when
Dr. Tagore has roughly divided the Alponas Bengalis were a more virile race not behind-hand in
into eight separate classes (1) lotus symbols; (2) the exploits of arms, and when Bengali wives had
ornamental scroll-work creepers ('liances'); (3). indeed justifiable reason to pray anxiously for the
trees, flowers and leaves; (4) rivers, streams and continuance of their happy wifehood (rane tane
scenes of village life; (5) the sun, the moon auid the eyo hobo) even through the exigencies of martial
stars; (6) ornaunents and parapharnelia ; (7) decor- conflicts.
ation for wooden seats. The untutored instincts Dr. Tagore has given certain extracts from
of the girl artists naturally excel in the draw- Louis Spence's Myths of Mexico and Peru to point
ings of flowers, leaves, articles of jewellery and out some aspects of similarity in the Lakshmi
domestic implements of common use, and they have Vrata and the Peruvian festival of the Corn Mother.
shown a wonderful skiU in the devising and inven- The solar festival of Citoc Rayml has also been
tion of various designs of scroll-work; but it is in mentioned in connection with the narrative of Roul
the painting of human and animal figures that they in Magh Mandal Vrata, apparently on account of a
lag behind. In some cases the designs are pictorial similarity of the names by which the Sun God was
— if not hieroglyphic in character, in some they are known as Ra or Raynsi and the Indian Ray or Raul.
—
symbolic, while there are others more or less It is always risky to carry such analogies too far
—
stylised which are principally ornamental in their or to attempt to establish a connecting link through
purpose. Some of the Illustrations given in the book alleged identity of practices religious or ethno-
are important enough to be singled out for detailed graphic. A certain similarity might './ell exist
comment. The Vajra or thunderbolt symbol depic- between Indian cum Javanese decorations and some
ted in p. 70, an essential part of the Aipona of Bha- old South American pattern, and It Is also a fact
nio or Sashpata Vrata observed in the Burdwan that a school of geologists support tlie theory of a
tract, is, almost suspiciously faithful to Its proto- previous connection by land between India and
tjrpes In brass and bronze with which the collectors South America in the pre-historic age. Some three
of Buddhist hieratic Implements are so familiar. decades ago Mr. Kedar Nath Bose, a meniber of
One may be pardoned if he feels tempted to attri- the Anthropological Society of Boston, published a
bute the popularity of this symbol to the period of bold thesis on the Hindu civilization In Ancient
Buddhist Influence In Lower Bengal, which was by America, which however failed at the time to give
no means short-lived or unsubstantial In character. rise to any serious dlsciis||ipn. Mr. Bose's book is
Samkha lata in its styllsatlon of the conch-shell has out of print and no Indian scholar has since trodden
probably a more Interesting history behind It and, the same track. It should therefore be borne in
while savants may quarrel about the date and mind that things like these are still in
locale of Its origin and its probable significance. the realms of speculation and the theory
Dr. Tagore's tentative suggestion that it might of an alleged ethnic similarity Is still
have found its way to Egypt, probably as a design awaiting the considered opinion of competent
embroidered on our muslin, is certainly not too fan- scholars. We
are, however, straying f^om our sub-
ciful to deserve an offhand dismissed. The discovery ject and it is needless to labour this point. MDe.
of an Egyptian drama has proved that men from Karpeles has herself discovered certain parallel-
Southern India used to visit Egypt In older days. isms among the designs of old Breton broideries and
This literary relic has even preserved for us some the Hindu designs enshrined in the Alponas, as has
words of one of the South Indian dialects. These been mentioned in a separate article written for
ancient Indians, traders by instinct and travellers the " Rupam," and we fully agree with her view that
by choice, could very well have acted as Inter- in Folk-Art people of all nations have spoken the
mediaries and helped in the introduction of same language. Though hampered by the difficul-
fine-spun fabrics of our looms among the luxury- ties due to her inabOIty to get a direct access to
loving Egyptians of the more wealthy class. The the original text, the talented authoress has done
design of boat and oarsmen at p. 44 may not be her part of the work very well Indeed. Her
Important to specialists from the point of view of renderings of the verse portions are specially
the constructional peculiarities of early Indian charming and. as one of the many Instances, we
shipping, but it is associated with a cult which would mention the rhymes given in connection with
originated from the anxiety felt by Bengali Kalai Thakur ceremony in p. 37. She has given a
daughters, sisters and wives, for the menfolk abroad very succinct account of as many as ten Vra^as and
on the bosom of the waters, specially In the period has also touched on the Adar-SImhasana Vrata or
of the monsoon. The dialect of this Vrata narrative —
Cult of the Throne of Love a Vrata forming a
is no^ of Eastern Bengal, the land of big river* and —
class apart in which our unsophisticated young
 106

girls, place on a decorative motif representing a painting done in the Zenana, but we owe it to Mile.
throne, the happiest of the young wives of their Karpeles to add that an artist herself and of no
acquaintance, as an incarnation as it were of love and ordinary merit she has selected some of the very
connubial fidelity, with the object of securing an best examples from Dr. Tagore's wide collection to
equal felicity in their own married lives and of illustrate the letter press.
being inspired ^th similar ideas a worship of — It is needless to state that all the beauty of
the housewife in excelsis which may appear — —
Alponas and their associate cults all that is of
strange to our Western friends. —
poetry and art in them is due to the gracious pre-
It is in no carping spirit that we mention a sence of women and their soft and refining
few very minor inaccuracies in transliteration and influence. Dr. Tagore has very clearly brought
translation which we hope will receive the out the contrast in his account of Kulai Thakur
authoress's attention when the second Edition of ceremony observed by young cowherd boys in
the book come« to be published. ' Bahadouli which representation of sound and movement -

Vrata (p. 37) should be

'
Bhadouli Vrata ' and
' —
replaces the Alpona a mere ebullition in fact, of
'
Basoudara ' in p. 72 ' Vasoudhara.' In p. 26 what boyish sportiveness, which has no art or artistry
has been accurately translated as ' la ceremonie des about it.
pieds de Hari should be transliterated as ' Hari-
' Now that Dr. Tagore is the Bagesw^ari
charan Vrata ' and not as Harisharan Vrata.' In
' Professor of Indian Art in the Calcutta University,
p. 55 it is said of the young Moon may we not hope that an English edition of his
" Elle cherche son dieu soleil valuable work will be brought out under the aus-
par toute la terre " pices of the University for the benefit of Engjish-
knowing readers who have no acquaintance with the
In the originad text it is the Sun who goes in search Bengali language and as a penitential course of
of his beloved as wrill appear from Mr. Tagore's study for those unfortuna'te post-graduate students
own Translation quoted above. At p. 31 the petals who never had a modicum of art or aesthetics in
of the Aubergine are described as faded and lan- their curricul^^ and at ^vhom even the genial
guishing'K' fanes et languissants ') but in the Ben- Dr. Tagore has a fling, so that they may learn to
gali original the leaves of the brinjal plant are respect at least the artistic endowment of the
clearly described as ' dhola dhola ' adjectives womanhood of Bengal, even if they cannot bring
which are °
used in common parlance to themselves to sit at the feet of their young wives
signify leaves that are '
broad and luxurisuit.' and sisters to learn the first principles of Hindu
No coloured plate has been reproduced from decorative art.
the origined work to provide an example of colour G. D. S.

DANCING AND THE DRAMA, EAST AND WEST, BY STELLA BLOCH, WITH AN INTRODUC-
TION BY ANArjIDA COOMARASWAMY, 13 PP., ILLUSTRATED. ORIENTALIA,
NEW YORK, 1922.
THISthe essence
a is pamphlet discussing
brilliant little
and ideals of the Eastern and
philosopher expounds the great principle. It is in
this spirit that the actor advances upon the stage,
Western Theatre, and is the. result of her his whole constitution inspired by faith in the action
recent tour through the Far East and India. which he shzdl take part in unfolding. For the
The title is very significant; for, in the East, Danc- Dramatist, as for eJl other craftsmen, the theme is
ing and the Drama are not two distinct things: it already fixed and only calls for orchestration : the
is in the medium of dances and gestures that the manner of its presentation is a tradition, and his
Drauna unfolds itself. Miss Bloch, whose brilliant function lies in directing the players according to
little essays are already familiar to our readers, thus that lore w^hich accompanies the performance of
characterises the structure of an ideal drama as the epic. His work is that of one, who, in obedience
gleaned from the East " It is only at the height
: to an architect, supervises the building of a house
of a culture that the architecture of true Drauna up- and indicates to the workmen every detail of pro-
lifts itself ; at the moment when temples are built cedure. Whence arises the superstition that a plot
and the epic arises ; when life is seen in legends and merely set down in words to be spoken is Drama?
these legends become symbols; and the symbols are The Drama has no reserves and makes use of every
carved on stones, and the stones built into a palace human device of expression. All the Arts are in its
for the king or the gods. It is then that the walls service. The Dramatist must be learned in the use
of a temple are the manuscript of life itself. The and combination of these according to the severe
epic rushes through the lips of every bard and none biws set down by the gods.
intrudes a personal grace upon the divine parable. " It is for the multifarious expressions of The
" Sacrifices and rites are performed according Great Tale that the theatre exists for the human
:

to formalities laid down by the gods themselves. It presentation of the adventures of gods and great
is in this devout spirit that the carver learns the men. No imitation of ev^-yday life shall be repre-
«raft of image-making, the singer prays, and the sented- here only —
the doings of fvinities.
 107

fore the Drama it never spoken in prose, nor is it immutably long ago, and are handed down from
realistic in gesture : it is always danced and sung generation to generation as permanent raciid con-
that the manners of gods zuid heroes may be cepts in stereotyped canons of proportions and poses,
distinguished The language of the dance is as to deviate from which is to invite the curse of the
fixed and searching as the spoken language of the deity. And the sculptor in obedience to his in-
race. Just as the writer does not invent words, so herited canons shapes his Ganeshas, Natarajas or
the dancer does not invent gestures he does not
: the Shaktis in terms of fixed forms, types &nd ges-
compose the dance, or in any way affect its scheme, —
tures which can brook no innovation or individual
which has been expounded in the Scriptures. Here interpretation. He has to get by heart from his
nothing is required of the dancer but physical early chUdhood his canons of proportions just a«
obedience however heated a scene, every quiver
: the actor learns by rote his vocabulary of gestures
of the hand, and the subtlest facial expressions are and a6A{na>'a poses. The image is not the product
the result of obedience to precise rules. The actor —
of the imagination of the individueJ interpreter it
never steps into his part and feels it for himself : is the product of the thoughts of the race, couched
such an intrusion of personality would at once mar in immutable forms devised at the earliest moment
the spectacular and rhythmic character of the per- of their discovery; and are founded on real experi-
formance. Hence the unassailable poise of the ence which the personal moods and idiosyncrasy of
Oriental actor, who is cool and impersonsJ in the any individual artist cannot overtake or displace.
midst of the most passionate action expressing
: Much is the same position with regard to the East-
whatever is required without consuming his own ern dramas and dancing. Miss Bloch's little study
soul by emotion, he is inexhaustible." clearly establishes the unity of the arts in the East.
It will be evident from the remarks quoted She has grasped the underlying principles of
that the construction of 'Drama in Indian and Far Asiatic culture. As Dr. Coomarswamy suggests in
Eastern survivsJs rests much on the same footing the Introduction, " nominally an essay on the thea-
as the principles of image-making. The temple tre, this is something more than a disscv^sion of
craftsmen or the carvers are not allowed much in Oriental dancing: it ii an introduction to the theory
the way of individued freedom in shaping the of Asiatic Civilisation." The booklet is illustrated
images, the pattern of which were " seen " and with pen and ink skecthes by the author, and a
visuzdised by hoary sages in some dim prehistoric frontispiece in colour representing a dancer from
past and the pictures of the images have been fixed
; BalL

NOTES.

AN INDIAN CUBIST—
First it seemed that radiating force of attraction.
objects, real things as they were, in placid existence, No. 1. These lovers are nameless, bodyless,
or as part of an action, co-ordinate in time and impersoneJ and almost non-existent. In the mo-
space, fused in timeless, time-abiding, space- ment of fascination, fascination itself is the only
creating unity were pictures. Their outer and inner reality and man becomes its tool, radiant with
relations, their actual and compositional connection its force. The turbulent agitation of point-
supplied the vision of a transformed world, where ed shapes which whirl through the picture untO
colours in subtle harmony revealed the joy of soul they get curbed along the borders forms the atmos-
while contemplating nature, and lines and forms phere of a pictorial world, expressive of that
were tuned to the melody of inner experience significant moment, when emotions radiate from
associated with the moment of life significant for two sources and tend to become one.
the picture. These two lovers therefore do not sit under a
To
a widened consciousness of the autonomous blossoming tree in the midst of spring, sunshine
life of soul, the dualism of concreteness and and flowers. Association and illustration are driven
imagination becomes replaced by concreteness of out of the picture, which is saturated with the
imagination. The charm and spell attached to emanation of the emotion itself.
" Maya " is shifted into the human heart, from the No. 2. In a similar way ^ surroundings must
dark depth of its mystery it surges unveiled at the disappear while the tragedy takes place, which has
tide of creative emotion into the work of art and — —
only one actor man and his invisible though
there it is unfolded according to the law of expan- frightfully real partner, who enters shapeless, yet
sion (rhythm) inherent in it, which conquers in its formed, the picture from the upper comer to the
sway the obstacles of matter (ie-, of the material). right and comes downwsu'd slowly, gently, v^th all
Our Artist started from the objects. But that latent horror of the irresistible, and places his
physical nearness, expressive of psychical desire weight like a caress on the man, who glides down,
made {heir bodies disappear consumed by the glides down irresistibly into that tender abyss
 —

108

which ahready lingers in his own eyes. Thus is the rooted in humanity. The danger however of this
" Gliding down." process of mind lies in too great a consciousness
No. 3. In a stabilised sphere of hovering of itself. And this includes sterility. It is the

grace, movement finds its tremulous echo in the flame which gives light, but eats up its own sub-
vibration of dusk, which spends its last lights wide stances. If all associations which accompany every
like a halo, where some glances of bright eyes impression are kept aside, than the expression pure
flashed just now and spreads out as sparkling and true in itself, might easily break down, ema-
—
crystals slender arms, flowering garments, light ciated in purity. Abstract art easily becomes
and shade at the s:une time; they join into a gar- puritanic or an zurabesque, it loses itself in logic or
land of heavier darkness, pedestal and basement, decoration and these are not art. Abstract painting,
border and unfoldment of the dance, which is no expression of sublimated imagination, which has
longer rhythmic movement of some figures, but banished all concepts, ^eing pure conception, needs
rhythm of the picture, a cosmos of its own. the vitaJ force of the creator. Its death lies there
No. 4. Another composition creates flight. where it is going to become a tradition, a school.
How the crowds rush, beating their wings, their No. 6. But our artist strictly consequent in
noise is hard like that of steel, they thrust one his power of abstraction goes still further he over-
;

ano,ther to reach freedom. Yet you cannot say comes the moment of reality as a source of
whether they are birds or brush strokes. And inspiration and reaches the region of pure vision.
this sky, calm and pale, which is the background of When " Light dreams of Darkness " it lends its
their struggle, is nothing else but a piece of white steady restful light to darkness, and darkness
paper. So great is the vitality of these black
patches that they bring to life the white intervals
—
trying to overpower light fails how could it suc-
ceed for its own nature is^ight; it creeps over light
between them, these again reflect and mitigate the and falls back powerless. Out of that heavy
harshness of the former ones in mild hsdf-tones and dreaon which veils ligjit's face it emerges splendid
shades.'^ Thus, black and white, the two primeval as ever. Such a composition, neither allegory nor
opponents, organise this composition by their separ- illustration, suggests free from associations, the
ateness, which persists although half-tones inter- subtle myth of light's dream by the compositions
vene and try to overcome the contrast. The move- of black and white triangular surfaces.
ment inherent in the black patches and their £s- No. 7. In " Laughter " at last that great
tribution form the pitiless pattern of a homeless deliberator hurries triumphantly laughing, laugh-
crowd, surrounded by unknown powers, rushing ing in all the white nooks, laughing from all the
violently into the unknown. dark peaks out of its shelter, that earnest, com-
No. 5. But " large in velvet " which
in the
posed left portion of the composition, which
might as well be the melody of the sea, the white quivers already with restrained laughter. This
has lost its cool aloofness and the black its austre composition does not depict a psychological state,
clearness; mingled into an up-2uid-down of rising
just as the previous pictures did not reproduce
and of sinking mountain-waves they display the nature. It is the created form of a smile,
alluring charm of elementary forces. which starts clear and acute and rushes full of
All these compositions though visualised by the
music towards its end.
correspondence of abstract, I'.e, geometrical forms,
which in themselves do not give any (or almost Cubism was a " discovery " of the West. The
none) suggestion of some shape of nature, are roots of it however lie in the East. " Backgrounds "
nevertheless expressions of reality. That in Ajanta, many objects represented in Barhut and
sudden pang which seized you somewhere— Sanchi, the architecture in Raiput paintings are
visualised in cubist way. Modern European art,
you must have passed a drunkard, an
opium-eater or some other victim lost in his weak- tired of reproduction, set forth to rediscover the
ness; that freedom —
now it opened gates to the expressive suggestiveness of the primary elements
of art, of line and cube and their relations, of the
magic hall where sounds and movement danced the
roundel of soul's equilibrium and now it came to you colours and their life, and of light and shade.
beating its wings full of pronuse, not knowing of Cubism, the most constructive of the new ways of
—
obstacles, did you ever see birds and dancers. creation, specialised in the simple geometrical
Such were the impressions which gave rise to forms of cube, sphere, cone, etc. By the re-
pictures without theme, but full with the melody of duction of reality to those simple forms, an order,
that particular theme. Melody reaches further than a new convention was found, which gave the essen-
s moment's vision ; and so street and house and den, tials of structure instead of the accidentals of
dress and features and age, season and number are appearance and enabled the artist to construct his
forgotten, when still the tragedy of a lost life, the picture independent of the distracting variety
happiness of a soul stabilised in its rejoicing or the of nature and with the concentration of a
ever vigorous though never ended struggle of life master builder. European cubist pictures there-
will be real. It is the great achievement of an fore take as their favourite themes: factories,
abstract way of pictorial conception to omit the towers, bridges, mountains, all objects which stand
accidental, the transitory and to concentrate upon near the cubic conception, being static and crystal-
those essentials of expression which are deeply like in their nature.

V,
The P..et, Gliding down.

An Indian Cubist.

Laughter. Light s Dream of Darkness.

 "

109

Our artist introduced cubism in India, and at is not felt in a palpable manner is China;
once cubism shows another aspect. It is not the but Chinese artists have not come into intimate
static and crystallic, but the animate and dynamic China but Chinese artists have not come in intimate
;

which crystalize into cubes, cones, etc. Here the contact with the West." The question of
cubes do not build up a systematic structure, but influence depends on the mental and physical
they express the radiating, turbulent, hovering or environment of the artist. It is a well known fact
pacified forces of inner experience. The design that a considerable portion of India is living in
of every composition therefore is based on a dia- absolute detachment and untouched by the contact
gonal movement which connects the right corner of European ideas \%^ich British dominion has im-
above with the left corner below. Emotion thus is ported into India. In the world of the arts and
transformed into diagonal composition, which coin-
cides with the brush stroke. In Europe on the other
—
crafts it is yet possible to find a few craftsmen
still working each in his old indigenous way true to
hand the characteristic feature of a cubist design the traditional spirit and method of his ancestors
consists in its static vertical-horizontal arrange without any influence from Europe such
ment. as has affected his brethren brought up
The transformation of cubism, as a principle in the Government Schools of Art. Even
of composition from a static order into an expres- among the artists, who live in the Presidency
sive motive is the artist's contribution to Indian art towns in intimate contact with European
and to cubism alike. ideas and breathe so to speak the typical
Notwithstanding however the intrinsic merit modern atmosphere impregnated with foreign
of these first cubistic contributions of the artist the ideas (using the word foreign in a harmless sense),
question has to be faced how far the cubist formula it is not difficult to find tendencies and inclinations
is suited to the Indian expression. The answer is which owe nothing to European influence and are
given by the compositions themselves. Through evolved from the artist's individual and national
the dynamic conception of a diagonal design they temperament. Where his contact with European
lead to an unconscious, but steadily prog,ressing ideas has brought about a change in his own mental
destruction of cubism. —
calibre it may be possible, though hardly com-
Indian cubism is a paradox, for the ever moved, mendable for him to suppress the colour, of his
flowing life of an Indian work of art is opposite to own mind. In indicating the influence of Europe
cubism which essentially is crystallized static. in the most sincere form of flattery many an —
Forms of difiFerent civilisations are incompatible. Indian artist has performed the so-called impos-
Modern Western art evolves formulae for ren- sible feat of suppressing the colour, the texture and
dering a psychical reality. The important part of the mood of his ov/n individual and national tem-
it is the consciousness of this reality and not the —
perament and has produced works in which the
features of the formulae. This consciousness how- evidence of an Indian hand or the expression of
ever confirmed by Western psycho-analysis belongs an Indian mind has completely disappeiured. As a
to the whole world and no expression of modern piece of psychological jugglery such a phenomenon
spiritual life can escape it, although within every has no equal in any other part of the world but —
civilisation it has its own trend. also as a piece of artistic insincerity and hypocrisy
Cubism therefore has its mission in Indian art, it has also no rival. The crux of the whole question
if it becomes absorbed by it; for it does not mean lies in an intellectual and spiritual synthesis of
anything else but the newly awakened conscious- Eastern and Western culture in which the ques-
ness of spiritual reality which knocks at the door of tion of " influence " is an irrelevant and misleading
In(£an art, disguised in a strange form. In order topic. The word " influence " inevitably suggests a
to enter, it has to throw off the masque. domination or the supremacy of one over the other.
STELLA KRAMRISCH. In the
\ field of art to produce works
under the domination of an outside in-
» Hi » fluence is the worst form of aesthetic
EUROPEAN INFLUENCE ON MODERN catastrophe. The freedom of the indivi-
INDIAN ART.— In an interesting little duaJ and the sincerity of the form of expression is
paragraph a local contemporary has raised the first condition of the production of a work of
the question whether it is possible for a art. The moment the outside influence is absorbed
modern Indian artist to avoid and ignore the and made part of one's own mentsJ equipment it —
influence of Europe in his works. " There are those —
ceases to be an influence because it ceases to
who seek in the work of Indian artists the subtle —
dominate on the mind or sterilise it it has become
influence of the East and bewail the introduction of an enriching factor, a fertilising medium. The
what they consider a factor which detracts much best minds of all countries are awaiting to see
from the value of the pictures as expressions of the the modern Indian mind evolve a new form enriched
national life of the Indians. It may, however, be but not dominated by the thought and culture of the
questioned if it is possible for an artist to ignore West. If India is to benefit by her contact with
the influence of the West, or of any other country, new ideas she must absorb, assimilate, " conquer
if he comes under it. In Japan, Western influence, and make them her own. Her own mind
in spite of the conscious efforts of the leaders in must act and react upon them and nation-
the world of art, is asserting itself, and alise them. In the field of art, the opportunity
 110

of coming into contact wiUi or assimil- relationship between the artist and the art-lover
ating the best artistic thoughts and their was so assured that it required only the simplest
expressions in Europe have been very rare even in inaterialization of the artist's thought for appre-
cases of artists who have made pilgrimages to the —
ciation and understanding, these were of the very
shrines of European art. What the genuine essence of the Jap2Uiese mind, and whether from
critics bewail in the works of modem Indian artists China, Korea, or India, belonged to it as it belonged
is not an inner and spiritual assimilation of the to them. But Occidental art is a cloak that does not
—
best ideas of the West but a domination of a fit, a means of expression that is not eloquent:

superficial influence based on a loan of a few moreover, it was accepted under no compulsion as
technical formulae and some dubious studio tricks. was the case in adopting the utilitarian contriv-
When thus transferred clumsily and mechanically in ances of Europe and America. The latter was
—
the works of modem artists they help to please a imperative, for if Japan had refused to become
section of Europeans whose national conceit for strong, as strength is measured by the West, her
the time being over-rid^s their critical discrimina- identity as a nation would inevitably have been
tion. They love to think that they are in this way —
destroyed. But for the artists the seers of the
helping the crippled Indian mind to recover itself. —
land to voluntarily desert what has been one of
Thus the class of In<Kan works that appeals to their the supreme arts of the world, for an art that has
complacency is the one that most imitate, how- evolved along entirely different lines and belongs
ever clumsily, Western technique and methods. to a distinctly lower development of feeling, this is
The moment these items of influence are absorbed one of the terrible spiritual tragedies of modem
and assimilated by any Indian artist, they lose times. It was here that Japan could have taught
their caste mark and are no more recognisable as the whole Western world and should never have
borrowings from the West. In the presence of such been its pupil. The greatest artists of the Occident
work the European of the average calibre -with no believe this, and probably no group of men deplores
knowledge or appreciation of the quality and the the acceptance of European art by the Japanese
possibility of Eastern metho|ds of expression is more deeply than the European and American
in a very uncomfortable position. He does not painters themselves. Unhs^ipily the hysteria
know whether to praise or blame. The clues the — of recent years that has swept over the world of
" influerces " are no more discernible to the uncriti-
fashion, and manners, literature and art in the
cal eye. He is more at home with pictures from Occident, has invaded Japan, and the contag;ion has
the Indian brush vkrith the trade marks of European spread like the influenza. Both in designs and
"influences" "Arrit in capitsJ letters. Where these colours, at present, many of the Japanese fabrics
" influences " have become imbedded in the Indian
method of expression and lost their individualities
are brutal and —
hideous exhibiting the worst of
Western influence instead of the best. If the
and their dom.inating characters, they take a more owners of the textile factories realized how much
subtler form, which sometimes defies analysis, and the great artists of Europe and America admired
are only accessible to the most educated critic. the best, old Japanese designs, they might cease
What the latter bewails is not an " influence "—but giving to their patrons the showy and garish
—
an " undue influence " a domination of or an infa- materials that one sees now in every shop window,
ation anything European.
for _
The
average and which are supposed to represent Western taste.
European, as we have remarked, very flattered
is
It is corrupting to the minds of the people who use
by any signs of influence from his country irres- them, and those who are easily led into strange
pective of its character. Our contemporary has paths under the belief that these paths lead toward
referred to European influence on Japanese Art. advancement and progress are irretrievably
It may be useful to quote here the impression of a wronged. Their taste is vitiated and under
distinguished critic. the influence of designers and manufacturers,
}Si }Si m — —
who should know better, they adopt, and
JAPAN ?— Under probably try to like, what is so decadent
IS ART DEAD IN this title,
and thoroughly bad, that it should appeal only to
Mr. L.N.Brown v^ites in the Asian Review:—
"
savages who love geega'ws and crude colours
in painting and sculpture that
The noble heritage . . What does one see this year?. Brutal land-
. .

has accumulated through so many centuries for the scapes, chiefly, painted according to European
Japanese people would lead one to think that art
canons, in crude colours, cold shadows, and a
could never die from amongst them; that in one '
light that never was on sea or land,' and disgust-
form or another it would be conserved and, when
ingly ugly nude figures with a mottled and spotted
time was ripe would burst into anew glory. This flesh that looks like putrid meat hung up for view.
has happened in the past, and Chinese, Korean and
Indian work have all been influences that have slip-
.... Here and there must surely be men who
will refuse to allow this unwholesome influence
ped into the crucible from which the native art has
from the other side of the world to affect them,
emerged with greater dignity and beauty than
and who will keep their lamps buming to guide
ever. But these were Oriental influences, born of
the sincere seekers for Tmth and Beauty through
the Oriental mind, and belonging to Japan by right
subtlety of Oriental thought, its
the dismal fog that envelons the oresent-day
The
of heritage.
symbolism, its essential impressionism, where the literary and artistic world."— (Jan. 1921 )
 HI

MODERNISM IN JAPANESE ART:—The pre- that of other countries in Asia.' It is hoped thereby
valence of modem Western influence on Japanese to give a stimulus to the appreciation of Indian art
painting and sculpture is bewailed by a critic in the in China, Japan and Malaysia. At the same time
Herald of As'ibl, who visited the recent exhibition at the society will continue its investigations regard-
Uyeno. Not that the ancient skill of the land of ing particular subjects of art in India, and subjects
perfect —
craftmen has vanished, No, there is a upon which research wrill be welcomed are indicat-
Japanese section "in which is found, as usual, ed in a very comprehensive list which includes the
exquisite work, excellent in proportion, delicate and following items (1) Architecture of individual
yet daring in its bringing together of multichro- historical towns in India and Ceylon (2) The origin
matic flash of colour harmonized with the extreme and development of Indian pillars (3) Jaina
skill which forms one of the most admirable Architecture (4) Indian sculpture by known or
features of Japanese artistry." But as the years named artists with biographical notes where
go by, this section of the exhibition is steadily being possible (5) Modern Indian buildings by living
thrust into increasingly cramped quarters, while Indian masterbuilders (6) Modem Painters of to-
more and still more space is accorded to exceedingly day (7) The influence of Indian and Non-Indian
bad imitations of the art of the Occident. The religions and philosophies in shaping the principles
Japanese artists who have sought to imitate the of Indian Art (8) An historic survey of art educa-
West too often fail in originality, and their pictures tion and craft teaching in India leading up to sug-
and statues are at best likely to show a slavish gestions for practical action in the future (9) Indian
copying of Western methods and ideals. There is —
musical instruments Collections of photographs
little of genuine beauty in the Europeanized art of with short descriptions (10) Folk songs (11) The
Japan. In the Uyeno exhibition, only a little way Ragmidas (12) Indian dreunatic literature (13)
removed from exquisite examples of the older art, Modern Literary movements and tendencies in
one wanders amid {grotesque nudes, writhing in India (14) The work of Indian artists and crafts-
clumsy attitudes, with no claim to beauty dis- men outside India (15) The art of Burma, Siam and
cernible to the Western eye. These artistic pro- Indo-China in relation to Indian art (16) The in-
digies are the work of the younger artists, who fluence of Indian art in Java and Bali, China, Japan
believe that they have " advanced " w^hen they and Tibet (17) The influence of Indian literature
leave behind the art of Old Japan. There is, to be in (i) Burma, Siam and Indo-China (ii) The
sure, another side to the question. A Japanese Netherlands, East Indies (iii) Tibet (iv) China and
prima donna has been well received in American Japan (18) The interaction of Indian cuid Persiaui
—
performances of Madame Butterfly an extra- literature. The Committee of the India Society
ordinary achievement for the singjer wrhen one real- will welcome the submission of manuscripts for
izes the grulf that yawns between the music of East publication and of papers for suitable lectures on
and West. The eJFect upon the Western arts, of the above subjects and will take steps towards help-
contact with the East, has perhaps, been most pro- ing research students by the publication of results.
nounced of aU in the poetry of the last few years. It may be noted that our Journal has been able to
One can think easily enough of half a dozen accord considerable attention to w^orks of the
English and American poets who are avowed modem Indian painters, the sixth item in the list.
students either of Japeuiese or Chinese poeti^, The second item is also touched by a very interest-
and experiments in the characteristic Japanese ing article by Dr. Acharya published in the present
stanza form, the hokku, have frequently been made number.On this subject there is a very interesting
in the poetry of the Occident. little brochure, unfortunately little known to
students, "Die Altindische, Saule " by Dr. I. H.
K W » Sohrmaum (Dresden 1906). The India society will
THE INDIA SOCIETY, LONDON—We have great do well to publish an English translation in order to
pleasure in commending to our readers the Report make it more accessible to a larger section of stu-
of the India Society, London for the years 1920 and dents of Indian Architecture. An illustrated volume
1921 which was issued in April last. The society on Ragmalas would be a very welcome publication
has done much useful work ever since its activity and having regard to the accessible materials, such
which was temporarily lessened during the war and a volume should not offer much difficulty in com-
has resumed new publications bearing on Indian art pilation. We
have one remark to offer with regard
and culture which have been such an interesting to a feature of the membership. The roll of mem-
feature of its activity. The publications for the bers includes very few names of Europeans residing
year 1921 are " The Sind Mystic, Shah Abdul Latif "
by Prof. Gidwani and "
in India —
which obviously means that where the
Perso-Indian Landscape in means and opportunity for a study of Indian Art
Northern Art" by Professor Strzygowski which is are many, the interest for such study is lacking.
being printed for issue to members. The society We should like to see more Europeans resident in
will for the future be its own publisher, and the India take a more active interest in the many
books and pamphlets will bear its imprint exclu- phases of Indian Art than they have done in the
sively. The programme for the year includes a past. A study leading to an understanding of
series of lectures on a very interesting feature of Indian Art is likely to be of great benefit to India
Indian Art viz. ' On the influence of Indian Art on
,

as well as to England in the future-

 "

112

PROFESSOR RpTHENSTIEN ON INDIAN to offer on a general view of the evolution of the

ART.—At a conversazione of the India Society held Hindu and Buddhistic architecturad forms. Though
on the 5th July, Professor William Rothenstien, the not pretending to offer any original presentation
present head of the School of Art, South Kensing- of the subject he took a very comprehensive
ton, appeeJed for a more serious sense of interest and unifying sweep of the many and diversified
and responsibility in Engjand towards the great art- details which went to make up his perspective.
istic and culture of India. European
literary We have no space to make long quotations from his
scholars whoare unable to travel to Asia should find essay which has been published in the Asiatic
in London, he said, a centre of Eastern artistic cul- Review but a short excerpt will serve our purpose:
ture, and a building conteiining an Indian Office " Indian architecture, like Indian poetry and reli-
Library and a noble collection of Indian paintings, gious thought, is a product of the climate, the
sculpture and objects of art, should form a centre geographical conditions, and the genius of the
where Europeans and Indian students should meet race. For all practical purposes, India is a con-
on common ground. They thought of India too tinental unity by herself, bounded by the sea and
often in political terms only and did not pay suffi- mountains which shut her out more or less com-
cient attention to her magnificent contribution to pletely from the rest of the world. Therefore her
world culture. We
should like to commend the architecture, like her sculpture, mythology, and
advice of Prof. Rothenstien to the serious con- poetry, is very national, and possesses a splendid
sideration of our European friends in India. Indians isolated unity of its own, which marks it out from
and India have been looked at too much through the the achievements of the other branches of the
smoked glass of politics and conunercial interest human race. Foreigners might come, plunder her
with unfortunate results which have only retarded shrines, ruin her temples, massacre whole popula-
the great destiny which awaits a more intimate tions of inoffensive folk, and compel the rest to
understanding of India and its great heritage of embrace an alien faith; hordes after hordes might
culture. do this, some barbarously and some in a more
civilized way, but still she remains as she ever was
!fi S tfi —
a universal mother unto all, stretching out her
MESSRS. LUZAC'S COLLECTION OF hands of welcome, taming down their ferocity, and,
INDIAN SCULPTURE.— The well known firm of finally, Indianizing them. The tendency to absorb
Oriental Booksellers and Publishers has shov^m re- an alien culture, and to so thoroughly Indianize
markable enterprise in adding to their usual line it that the foreign element can scarcely even be

of literary stocks a department which includes a fine suspected, is as true of her religious thought as of
collection of old Indian Sculpture and Paintings. her achievements in architecture. No other man
By their courtesy we are enabled to reproduce here loved his native land her— streams, mountains,
four examples of old Indiaui images which are of plains, and skies — so passionately as the Indian,
special interest. The two pieces of Jain image are of nor felt to such an extent that he was only a link in
unique quality, one of them bearing an inscription the grand necklace of Prakriti, or mother Nature,
dated 1615 V.S. which has been read for us, by as the Indian."
Mr. P. C. Nahar, the well known collector of Jaina This love and devotion to her is reflected, not
art. Amongst the somewhat stereotjrped form of only in the Suktas of the " Rig- Veda," but has been
Jaina images it is often difficult to disting^uish spe- a continuous tradition echoed down through -

cimens of specially artistic merit. The simplicity Valmiki, Kalidasa, and Bhavabhuti, down to Bankim
and the hieratic poses of Jaina stone images and Tagore This passionate love of the sur-
(somewhat echoing the character of Egyptian roundings, this deep feeling of being one with all
sculptures) emphasize the quality of their material Nature, is again and again echoed not only in poetry
which contributes not a little to the dignity of their and religion, but finds its utterance in sculpture,
aesthetic values and add monumental quadities to architecture, and painting. Sita, when she is about
even specimens of miniature sizes. TTius the seat- to leave her hermitage on the banks of the Goda-
ed image of Adinath (Fig. C) though only forty-one veri, exclaims " That where the very trees and the
inches in heigjht easily call up a parallel with the animals were like her own kith amd kin " ; and
well-known colossal images of the same subject in Sakuntala is moved to tears on taking leave of the
the Lucknow Museum. The Pala image from trees and deer of Kanva's hermitage. This in^ires
Magadha (fig. A) is also a specimen of great some of the sublimest teachings of the Upani-
beauty and rarity. shads, and lies at the root of the Jain and Vaish-
navite ideas of " Ahimsa," as well of the Karmic
Hi »i s theory of the Brahmin and the Buddhist, and can be
PROF. N. K. SITARAM ON INDIAN ARCHI- traced as well not only in the sculptures of Amara-
TECTURE.—We owe an apology to Prof. Sitaram vati, Sanchi. and Boro-Budur, in the frescoes of
for this belated notice of his learned address, de- Ajanta and Sigiria, but also to a limited extent in
livered before the East Indian Association at the architecture as well. Architecture in India is only
r-axton Hall, on the 24th April last, on "Some a prayer in stone and a due appreciation of it is
aspects of Indian Architecture, chiefly Hinduistic. impossible without her poetry and sculpture.
^

He confined himself to a very interesting section of Though it may sound rather curious, it is none the
bis large subject and hat* very illuminating remarks less a fact that the In£an genius was more fond oi
Fig. A. Avalokiteswara. Teladliii V'lliaiii. Magadlui Fig. B. Vrisliablianatlia. from C'handravarte.

Collection Messrs Luzac & Co. London.

Fig. C. Adinatha from Central Provinces. Fig. D. Buddha from Burma.
 —

113

sculpture than of architecture or painting, and that in its character from its prototypes in India. That
they are often superior to the products of the main-
even when they execute to perfection, still the
inspires is more that of
land in artistic merit is beyond any dispute. It
vision that guides and
sculptors than of architects or painters. The pro-
would be more accurate to state that the distinction
between Javanese sculpture and Indian sculpture
cess by which they reduced whole mountains into
lies in its quality rather than its character. In
monolithic temples, like the Kailasa or the one at
ICalugumali, and fashioned Viharas and Chaitya motives, in technique, in its canons and ideas, and
in general inspiration the main tree and its oversea
halls from the living rock of the Western or the
Eastern Ghats, or cells and caves like those of branch are tied at many points of unity. With
Ajanta, is the same which produced in a later age reference to many details it is possible to demon-
strate a continuity of all phases of Indian sculpture
statues of the Thirthankaras at Sravana Belgola,
as on the rocks of in its derivatives in the Colony. There is a small
Yenur, Karakala, as well
Gwalior. This tendency to reduce rocks to sandstone Buddha in the Samath Museum, which is
an exact prototype of the series of colossal figures
architectural constructions, as in the case of the
Raths of Mahabalipura, is like sculpture, producing which are the well known features of Boro-Budur.
forms through subtraction, and not, like archi- That the latter are the lineal descendants of the
tecture, producing forms through addition. The ancestor at Sarnath or probably from an eiurlier
Gopurams of the so called Aryavarta style appear model there can be no manner of doubt. The head-
so kneaded as a whole out of clay, and the dresses and ornaments of most of the images and
Shikharas and Vimanas of the Dravidian style figures of the Javanese reliefs are literally borrow-
appear lost in a forest of figures." ed from Indian models which yet survive in the
metal images of NepaL Indeed some of the small
Javanese bronzes faithfully reproduce the types
s \Si ifi
and details of many Nepalese figures. For various
DR. VOGEL ON INDO-JAVANESE ART.— other features and minute details of a class of
Under the auspices of the India Society, Dr. Vogel, Javanese sculpture, the Orissan and Southern Indian
(late of the Indian Archaeological Survey, at present, forms furnish interesting ancestry. In the
Professor of Sanskrit and Indian Archaeology at supremely artistic quality and the manner of pre-
Leyden), delivered an Illustrated lecture at the sentation the Javanese sculptures offer widely
Victoria and Albert Museum, on the 25th May, on differentiating features. It is only in the Ramayan
Indian Art in Java '. In his lecture he attempted reliefs at Prambanam that the native Javanese man-
'

to trace the relations between Indian and Javanese ners assert themselves only to lower the quality of
—
art a very fascinating study alike for the history the Indian standard. Notwithstanding their
of ait as for an understemding of the character of literary and religious interest they are much
Indo- Javanese civUisation. Says Dr. Vogjel: inferior in aesthetic quality as compared with Boro-
" Manifestly the architecture and sculpture of Java Budur reliefs though some of them offer very
owe their origin to the introduction of Indian vigorous and moving composition. In the field of
civilisation. We may assume that Indian masters architecture the Javanese genius has showii re-
first taught the Javanese, arts of stone architecture markable originality and as Dr. Vogel justly
unknown in the island previous to the advent of the remarks : " Though probably primarily derived
Hindu settlers. But the natives of Java guided by from South Indiam examples, they make it quite
their own artistic genius developed Indian art along, clear that about 300 A.D. Javanese architecture had
new lines. They thus preated a truly national art developed an indigenous style distinct from the
different in inspiration and expression from that of Dravidian and Chalukyan styles of the Deccan."
the Indian home-land and, in fact, often superior to Dr. Vogel's paper, even in its meagre sunmiary, is
it in aesthetic merit." In the summarised report of full of many interesting suggestions and should
his lecture published here, it is not quite clear if offer many new points of view from which Indo-
Dr. Vogel avers that Javanese sculpture is different Javanese Art is yet inviting a detailed study.
APPENDIX SHOWING DETAILS OF RAGAS AND RAGINIS AND
THEIR RHETORICAL INTERPRETATIONS.
Riiga.
p ^