Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c3.13

c3.13

From a study of the arts and crafts under mediæval conditions in East and West: under modern conditions in the West: and under conditions resulting from the influence of West on East, something may be learnt of the true and false relations between art and life. What are the conditions necessary to the existence of a worthy art? Let us first enquire what conditions forbid its existence in the modern West. They may be summed up in the words commercialism and irreligion.