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Conversations: India's Leading Art Historian Engages with 101 themes, and More
'A brilliant compilation ... Essential reading.' ---William Dalrymple
'A string of gems' --- Maria Aurora Couto
'Insightful, witty, uplifting' --- Eberhard Fischer
B.N. Goswamy, one of the most eminent art historians of our times, opens a window to a wide range of all on or around the arts, which have immense potential to form aesthetic sensibility. From Ananda Coomaraswamy to the Art of Calligraphy, The Meaning of Silence to Farid-ud-din Attar's great Sufi parable of the Conference of the Birds, among others, Goswamy invites the general, but generally interested and literate, readers to enter, through these pieces, the field of the arts and savor its to take from them what they can, learn something fresh—or view with freshness — and expand their minds.
Definitive, engaging, and comprehensive, Conversations promises to be a truly accessible primer on art in India and South Asia.
'A string of gems' --- Maria Aurora Couto
'Insightful, witty, uplifting' --- Eberhard Fischer
B.N. Goswamy, one of the most eminent art historians of our times, opens a window to a wide range of all on or around the arts, which have immense potential to form aesthetic sensibility. From Ananda Coomaraswamy to the Art of Calligraphy, The Meaning of Silence to Farid-ud-din Attar's great Sufi parable of the Conference of the Birds, among others, Goswamy invites the general, but generally interested and literate, readers to enter, through these pieces, the field of the arts and savor its to take from them what they can, learn something fresh—or view with freshness — and expand their minds.
Definitive, engaging, and comprehensive, Conversations promises to be a truly accessible primer on art in India and South Asia.
556 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 27, 2024
Beautiful collection of short writings on a wide variety of topics related to art (majority being Indian art), penned by the author across multiple decades as newspaper articles. Perfect for someone who is even slightly curious yet not well-versed in Indian art, or art in general (which is the case with me).
Goswamy doesn't shy from being personal in these writings -- being candid about his opinions and thoughts; bringing in stories from his past -- which makes it all the more engaging. He details various artworks at a suitable level for a general audience: not too deep as to get a layperson overwhelmed or disengaged, and not too shallow as to read like a Wikipedia description.
Beware the absolutely shoddy state of the artwork in the book -- it's as if all pictures were pixelated for some odd reason, making them appalling. That I'm giving this a 5 star rating despite the horrendous quality of the colour plates is only due to Goswamy's writing.
I'm very encouraged to check out his The Spirit of Indian Painting soon.
Goswamy doesn't shy from being personal in these writings -- being candid about his opinions and thoughts; bringing in stories from his past -- which makes it all the more engaging. He details various artworks at a suitable level for a general audience: not too deep as to get a layperson overwhelmed or disengaged, and not too shallow as to read like a Wikipedia description.
Beware the absolutely shoddy state of the artwork in the book -- it's as if all pictures were pixelated for some odd reason, making them appalling. That I'm giving this a 5 star rating despite the horrendous quality of the colour plates is only due to Goswamy's writing.
I'm very encouraged to check out his The Spirit of Indian Painting soon.
September 14, 2024
For anyone remotely interested in Indian or perhaps even South Asian classical or contemporary art- this is the book you need to pick up from your nearest bookstore.
The book is written in an essay format, touching upon several themes of the south Asian art scene- miniature paintings, Tanjore paintings, the top Indian schools, interactions with curators and historians and so much more.
BN Goswamy’s Conversations is a pleasure to read and has so much information to offer. And if you’re in the business of art in the subcontinent then this book is like a Bible for you. You will do yourself a favour if you read this book and you will take back truckloads of valuable information that will stick with you forever.
Lastly, to read about so much beauty is like therapy to the heart and soul.
The book is written in an essay format, touching upon several themes of the south Asian art scene- miniature paintings, Tanjore paintings, the top Indian schools, interactions with curators and historians and so much more.
BN Goswamy’s Conversations is a pleasure to read and has so much information to offer. And if you’re in the business of art in the subcontinent then this book is like a Bible for you. You will do yourself a favour if you read this book and you will take back truckloads of valuable information that will stick with you forever.
Lastly, to read about so much beauty is like therapy to the heart and soul.
April 28, 2024
One of the best books on art i have ever read. Goswamyji describes the range of Indian art so poetically and his knowledge is so immense to capture n recall so much details n the history of Indian art.
My only grouse n a big one is that the Colour plates are rendered so shabbily n poorly.. in this era of technology n high res where even mobile phone capture such sharp details, to publish such thrid rate quality pictures is criminal from a giant of publishing like Penguin .. sacrilegious for an Art book that too. Extremely distressing n upsetting to experience such poor quality
My only grouse n a big one is that the Colour plates are rendered so shabbily n poorly.. in this era of technology n high res where even mobile phone capture such sharp details, to publish such thrid rate quality pictures is criminal from a giant of publishing like Penguin .. sacrilegious for an Art book that too. Extremely distressing n upsetting to experience such poor quality
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews