A collection of important essays by a pioneering interpreter of Indian art, philosophy, and mythology

“Brilliant.”—Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero with a Thousand Faces

“Varied, imaginative, incredibly learned. . . . Fascinating.”—John Kenneth Galbraith, New York Times Book Review

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877–1947) was a pioneer in the study of Indian art, philosophy, and mythology—and in the cultural meeting of East and West. A scholar in the tradition of the great Indian grammarians and philosophers, an art historian convinced that the ultimate value of art transcends history, and a social thinker influenced by William Morris, Coomaraswamy was a unique figure whose works provide virtually a complete education in themselves. Finding a universal tradition in past cultures ranging from the Hellenic and Christian to the Indian, Islamic, and Chinese, he presented his ideas in numerous essays. This volume includes a selection of his essays on art and symbolism that were written in the 1930s and 1940s, when he was at the height of his powers.

Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (1877–1947) was a leading authority on Indian art, philosophy, and mythology and a foremost interpreter of Indian culture to the West. His many books include Buddha and the Gospel of Buddhism, The Dance of Shiva, and The Door in the Sky (Princeton). Roger Lipsey is a biographer, art historian, editor, and translator. His books include Angelic Mistakes, Make Peace Before the Sun Goes Down, and Politics and Conscience.