Described as ‘one of the greatest books ever’, Vasily Grossman’s ‘Life and Fate’ was judged so dangerous in the Soviet Union that not only its manuscript, but even the ribbons on which it had been typed were confiscated by the state
Described as ‘one of the greatest books ever’, Vasily Grossman’s ‘Life and Fate’ was judged so dangerous in the Soviet Union that not only its manuscript, but even the ribbons on which it had been typed were confiscated by the state
The sum of all that I know about Finland can be accommodated in one miserly little paragraph.
No one recognises the richness of their (the tribals’) rituals, the great power of being possessed by God, the intensity of belief, even the beauty of dancing, or being in a trance, as cultural values. — Eberhard Fischer & Haku...
It is the rhythm, the looping, loping rhythm. It is knowing that every walk is the same, yet every walk is unique (in fact, every step is unique). It is knowing that even walking is an expressive cultural act that...
For long, the interests of plebeians were protected by hundreds of tribunes, most celebrated of them being the Gracchi brothers
“…in the intersections and tangents… is more substantial meaning pictorially than in the details of facial expressions.” — Alice Boner “If it is true that culture is a vehicle of international understanding and those promoting it are its ambassadors, then...
BN Goswamy The leaves of Victoria amazonica (the giant water lily of the Plantae kingdom) are so strong that they can support the weight of a human… The most interesting thing about this flower is the large leaves that it...
The paintings (miniature portraits that were exchanged) acted as tiny proxies to be kissed, pressed to bosoms and talked to when the subject was out of reach. But lover’s eyes were different. Instead of standing in for the whole person,...
Imitation art has been destroying reputations, collectors are being duped, galleries have gone bankrupt
BN Goswamy Among the British Library’s extraordinary collection of materials relating to the history of Indian music in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries lie dozens of European accounts of the nautch — intimate musical parties at which troupes of...
As I sit down to write, I realise that this piece can go in different directions: three at least. One, it can be about one of the greatest sculptors of ancient Greece who is celebrated in the same breath as Skopas and Polykleitos of ca. 4th century BC.
Respected Mr Gandhi, I use the presence of your friend (Sundaram) in our home to send you these lines. You have shown through your works, that it is possible to succeed without violence even with those who have not discarded...
BN Goswamy Every plate is executed from sketches after nature, which I made chiefly during my pedestrian excursions in the interior of the country, on the banks of the Ganges, where the restraints which confine respectable Europeans to the Palkee...
Manaku’s illustration of Bhagavata Purana is dazzling, but this one section about King Prithu stands out for its detailed and dense narration
The many representations of Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Egg, and Vatapatrashayi, infant Krishna on a leaf...