Art Experience

by Mysore Hiriyanna

For decades, Prof. Hiriyanna’s Art Experience has been a lamp which has provided?illumination?to?many?a?serious?student?of?Indian?aesthetics.

A contemporary of the late Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, he was steeped in Indian philosophy and his writing was characterised by a careful economy of phrase – a model of precision and lucidity. He was the first among the pioneers to establish meaningfully the relationship of philosophy, aesthetics and life. Prof. Hiriyanna pointed at the core concept of the Upani]sadic view which was as relevant to philosophy as to art. He turned the course of the discussion on Indian art and aesthetics from history to its fundamentals of a world view, and the diverse paths of the quest for truth, viz., through specu­lative thought or alternately, refinement of senses and sense perceptions. He highlighted the Indian view that achievement of a life of harmony was not through extinguishment of interests, but by an expansion of them through?training?and?refinement?of?feeling?and?the?cultivation?of?emotion.

The present volume carries fifteen contributions on topics of Indian aesthetics. After a penetrating analysis of the fundamental concepts envisaged from a traditional point of view, Prof. Hiriyanna interprets them succinctly. He elucidates the theory of Rasa from the point of Sankhya in a masterly fashion; equally illuminating are the other essays on Rasa and Dhvani, and Sanskrit poetics and Forewords contributed by him. Each essay?illuminates?a?facet?of?Indian?aesthetics?or?an?aspect?of?poetics.

Genres: Art

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1954

About the author

Mysore Hiriyanna (1871–1950) was one of the foremost writers on Indian philosophy who lived in the last century. His prominent works include Indian Conception of Values, Outlines of Indian Philosophy, Quest after Perfection and Art Experience. His books are held in hundreds of libraries, even outside India.
Professor M Hiriyanna was born in Mysore on May 7, 1871. Having obtained his M.A from the Madras Christian College, he joined as a librarian at the Mysore Oriental Library, (now, the Oriental Research Institute, Mysore) and at a later stage of his career he went on to become the curator of the institute. In an intervening period, he served as an Assistant Master and later as the Head Master at the Mysore Normal School.
He joined the newly established Mysore University as a lecturer in Sanskrit and was promoted as a professor of Sanskrit and Philosophy during 1918 - 1927. His works show clarity, precision and brevity.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Anmol Basnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A historical perspective on the essence of art. A little condensed for my liking, explicative none the less. To be re-read.

[Vidya Ramakrishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read in a group....have to reread on my own sometime.