Christian and Oriental Philosophy of Art - Hardcover

by Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (Author)

""Christian and Oriental Philosophy of Art"" is a book written by Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, a Sri Lankan philosopher and art historian. The book explores the relationship between Christianity and Eastern philosophy in terms of their respective approaches to art. Coomaraswamy argues that Christianity and Eastern philosophy have fundamentally different views on the purpose and nature of art, and that these differences have important implications for the way we understand and appreciate art.The book is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on Christian philosophy of art, examining the ways in which Christian theology has influenced the development of Western art. Coomaraswamy argues that Christianity has tended to view art primarily as a means of communicating religious ideas and values, and that this has led to a certain narrowness in Western art. He also explores the relationship between Christian art and the concept of beauty, arguing that Christian art has tended to prioritize moral and spiritual values over aesthetic ones.The second part of the book turns to Eastern philosophy of art, examining the ways in which Eastern cultures have conceptualized and valued art. Coomaraswamy argues that Eastern philosophy has tended to view art as a means of expressing spiritual insight and achieving a state of transcendence. He explores the ways in which Eastern art has been influenced by religious and philosophical traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, and argues that these traditions offer a more expansive and holistic view of art than Christianity.Overall, ""Christian and Oriental Philosophy of Art"" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between religion, philosophy, and art. It challenges readers to consider the ways in which our cultural backgrounds and beliefs shape our understanding and appreciation of art, and to engage in a deeper, more nuanced exploration of the meaning and purpose of art.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.