Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy stands as a fascinating figure, bridging the gap between the pursuit of universal truths and the preservation of traditional Indian art and culture. His life's work was dedicated to exploring and promoting the perennial philosophy, while simultaneously advocating for a cultural renaissance in India. Coomaraswamy's intellectual journey was marked by his unique ability to integrate Eastern and Western philosophies.

Formative Years

Born to a prominent family in Ceylon, Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy's future in academia seemed almost preordained. His father, Sir Mutu Coomaraswamy, was not only a skilled barrister and legislator but also a devoted scholar of both Eastern and Western literature. His mother, Elizabeth Clay Coomaraswamy, hailed from a long-established Kentish family in England. Tragically, Elizabeth became a widow just five years into her marriage, tasked with raising her son alone at a young age in England.

Coomaraswamy's educational path took him from Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire to the University of London, where he earned a doctorate in science in 1906. His education unfolded during a time when the ideals of John Ruskin and William Morris permeated the cultural atmosphere of England. Both Ruskin and Morris voiced concerns over the corrosive effects of industrialization, a sentiment that deeply resonated with Coomaraswamy. He shared Ruskin's belief that "Industry without art is brutality," viewing the Enlightenment and its industrial offspring as damaging forces to both Western and Eastern traditions.

In 1903, Coomaraswamy was appointed director of the Mineralogical Survey of Ceylon while still pursuing his doctoral studies, a position he held until 1906. His work during this period underscored the stark differences between Western industrialism and Eastern traditions, leading him to form the Kandyan Association and the Ceylon Social Reform Society. These organizations aimed to safeguard and promote Ceylon's artistic heritage.

Following his tenure in Ceylon, Coomaraswamy embarked on a transformative journey through India in 1906. This experience was not just a physical voyage but marked the beginning of his lifelong mission to champion Eastern traditions and critique Western modernism through the lens of the perennial philosophy.

Intellectual Pursuits

Coomaraswamy's scholarly efforts are typically divided into two distinct phases: from 1908 to 1932, and from 1932 to 1947. The first period was marked by empirical research, while the latter delved into mysticism and metaphysics. Despite these phases, his work consistently intertwined empirical analysis with philosophical inquiry.

Confronting the modernist West, Coomaraswamy critiqued its empirical approach and cultural relativism. He argued that merely factual studies of Eastern culture failed to capture its profound spiritual and philosophical essence. According to Coomaraswamy, examining traditional cultures through a modernist lens inherently dismissed their intrinsic truths and values. This recognition paved the way for the deeper philosophical development in his scholarship.

Coomaraswamy first established his reputation as an empiricist scholar through numerous publications and presentations, including Medieval Sinhalese Art and "The Influence of Greece on Indian Art." However, as his interests evolved, works like The Indian Craftsman and The Arts and Crafts of India and Ceylon signaled his shift toward exploring the interplay between art, culture, and metaphysical themes.

During this period, Coomaraswamy also penned Essays in National Idealism and delivered lectures calling for a cultural and aesthetic revival in the East. His views often clashed with the prevailing empirical methodologies and cultural attitudes of Western modernism. His philosophical stance, particularly as articulated in The Arts and Crafts of India and Ceylon, underscored the integration of love and art as seen in medieval Europe.

Advancement at the Museum of Fine Arts

In 1917, Coomaraswamy accepted a research fellowship at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Over the next thirty years, his work flourished...