{"id":2355,"date":"2013-07-13T01:41:06","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=2355"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:41:06","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:41:06","slug":"48-on-art-an-answer-to-a-critic-vol-01-early-cultural-writings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/03-cwsa\/01-early-cultural-writings\/48-on-art-an-answer-to-a-critic-vol-01-early-cultural-writings","title":{"rendered":"-48_On Art – An Answer to a Critic.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\n\n
\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tAn Answer to a Critic <\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tO<\/font>NE HAD<\/font><\/b> thought that the Ravi Varma
\n\t\t\tsuperstition in India had received its quietus. Unsupported by a single competent voice, universally condemned by critics of eminence Asiatic and European, replaced by a style of Art \t\t\tnational, noble and suggestive, it is as hopeless to revive this
\ngrand debaser of Indian taste and artistic culture as to restore \t\t\tlife to the slain. But even causes hopelessly lost and deserving to be lost will find their defenders and unworthy altars do not \t\t\tlack incense. A belated lance is lifted in the August number of the Modern Review for the fallen idol. Neither writing nor \t\t\tsubstance is of such a calibre that it would have demanded any
\nanswer if it had not found hospitality in a periodical which is now a recognised centre of culture and opinion. The writer is
\nnot richly endowed either with artistic taste, logical faculty or correct English; but he possesses in compensation a trenchant
\nthough ill-inspired manner of writing, and excels in that Rooseveltian style of argument which by its very commonness and
\ndoubtful taste imposes on minds imperfectly instructed in the subject of dispute. It may be necessary, in the present state of
\nArt appreciation in India, to counteract the possible evil that \t\t\tmay be done by even so insufficient an apology for the Goliath of artistic Philistinism in India. \t\t\t<\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tI may perhaps be suffered to express my wonder at the
\nideas of manners and good breeding which this apologist thinks \t\t\tpermissible in critical controversy.
\n\t\t\tDr..
\nCoomaraswamy is a critic of established reputation, whose contributions to the study of Indian Art are valued in every country in Europe and Asia
\nwhere the subject itself is studied. Sister Nivedita’s literary genius, exquisite sympathetic insight and fine artistic culture are
\nacknowledged by all who have the faculty of judging both in \t\t\tEngland and India.
\n\t\t\tMr..
\nHavell has a recognised position in the  
\n\t\t\t<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 468<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tcriticism of Art. One may differ from such authorities, but one is at least bound to treat them with some show of respect.
\n\t\t\tMr.. Havell seems to have been protected by his recent official
\nposition from the writer’s disrespect, though his authority is dismissed cavalierly enough. Against Sister Nivedita he does
\nnot vent his spleen unguardedly, though he cannot refrain from vindicating his superiority by patronisingly describing her as
\n“the good Sister Nivedita”. But towards Dr..
\nCoomaraswamy, possibly because he is an Indian like the writer himself, he seems to think himself entitled to be as offensive as he chooses. He \t\t\tgets rid of the Doctor’s acknowledged authority by introducing him as “a Geologist”, and emphasizes the spirit of this \t\t\tintroduction by sprinkling his pages with similar phrases, “the
\nGeologist”, “the Doctor”. The intention seems to be to represent \t\t\tDr.. Coomaraswamy as an unknown man without credit in other
\ncountries who is trying to pass himself off as an authority in India. It is possible the disciple of Ravi Varma holds this view; if so, one can only wonder what Himalayan cave of meditation has been his cloister in the last few years of his existence! And
\nwhat are we to say of this characteristic specimen of wit? “We \t\t\tcannot expect anything better from a Geologist, who naturally
\nloves and is made to love everything rigid and stony.” Am I to \t\t\tanswer him in his own style by retorting that we cannot expect
\nanything better from a student of Ravi Varma than theatrical wit and schoolboy impertinence? I prefer to suggest to him that
\nmanners which are allowed on the platform, at the hustings and in newspaper controversy in matters of political passion
\nand interest are not expected in the urbanity of literature, Art \t\t\tand good society. I have felt myself compelled to comment thus at length and severely, because it is too much a habit in our \t\t\tcountry to have resort to this kind of illegitimate controversy in matters where only superior taste, knowledge and insight \t\t\tshould tell. I have done with this unpleasant part of my duty and
\nproceed to the writer’s arguments as distinct from his witticisms. [Incomplete<\/i>] <\/font>
\n\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\tPage \u2013 469<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An Answer to a Critic   ONE HAD thought that the Ravi Varma superstition in India had received its quietus. Unsupported by a single competent…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-01-early-cultural-writings","wpcat-49-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2355"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2355\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}