South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c2: Preface
South Indian Bronzes: A Historical Survey of South Indian Sculpture with Iconographical Notes Based on Original Sources c2
- Language
- English
Preface
c2.1
It was during a hasty pilgrimage in October 1909 to the great Hindu shrines of the various Cathedral cities of the South that the project of the present publication was first formulated. The discovery of an old Sanskrit text of the *silpasastras* specially dealing with South Indian images in the possession of a hereditary craftsman in Swami Melai (Tanjore District) afforded excellent materials for the study of this school of bronzes which has contributed such interesting figures to the sculpture galleries in every corridor of all the important temples in the South. The discovery of the text, however, entailing, as it did, a hard and strenuous task of interpreting difficult and mutilated technical terms necessarily delayed the preparation of this work. The delay had its advantage in the time that it afforded in collecting photographs of an adequate number of examples so as to interpret and illustrate the leading characteristics of this interesting branch of Indian sculpture.
c2.2
My ignorance of the Tamil language has disqualified me from obtaining first-hand informations on many details relating to the history of the subject. Indeed my lack of information on many important points and vital aspects of the subject has undoubtedly maimed and impaired the utility of this essay. The task which my vain efforts have failed to accomplish should have been reserved for better and competent hands. Unfortunately the modern educated South Indian to whom one looks forward to a complete and scholarly survey of the artistic treasures of their country still continues to cultivate a philistine indifference to the masterpieces of their ancestors.
c2.3
A large proportion of the photographs reproduced in this volume was taken by or for me expressly for this work. To Dr. Henderson of the Government Museum, Madras, I owe a deep debt for permission to obtain photographs of some of the best specimens in that collection. To the officers of the Archæological Department, Southern circle, and principally to Mr. Longhurst and Mr. H. Krishna Sastri, my obligation for similar help is equally great. I am also very grateful for the help I have received in obtaining photographs from Dr. Coomaraswamy; Dr. Kern, the Director of the Musée Guimet, Paris; and from Messrs. Skeen & Co., Colombo. To His Excellency Lord Carmichael I am indebted for similar assistance. It is a pleasure to have to record my acknowledgments for the numerous assistance I have received from my friend and *precepteur* Mr. Abanindra Nath Tagore, C.I.E., but for whose encouraging incitements this work could have never been published.
c2.4
To Mr. A. Govindacharya, M.R.A.S., of Bangalore, I owe many references to Sanskrit texts and valuable suggestions. I have also to thank my esteemed friend Mr. G. Thathachari, Sub-Registrar, Koilpati, for many valuable informations. I must also thank Mr. Sukumar Ray of Messrs. U. Ray & Sons, Calcutta, who has taken special care in preparing the duotype plates in this volume.
c2.5
O. C. G.
c2.6
12-1, Gangoly's Lane, Calcutta. 15th July, 1914.
Linked texts (1)
- Viśvakarmaśilpa — Viśvakarman, Sanskrit