Please note that this is a photocopied version available at AAA Library for reference use only.

'"The fulfillment of a modern Indian artist's wish to be part of a living tradition, i.e. to be individual and innovative, without being an outsider in his own culture, will not come of itself, it calls for concerted effort." K. G. Subramanyan, the eminent Indian artist, offers a theoretical groundwork for that effort in his critical study of modern Indian art as it has evolved through continuous interaction with several traditions, foreign and indigenous. In the course of his study, he touches on the national distinctions between the Indian and European traditions, on the continuities in India's folk traditions, and on the attempts of several thinkers and artists to identify an Indian artistic tradition or to deny it altogether in a quest for personal expression or universality. A generous selection of illustrations accompanies the text and greatly contributes to the enjoyment and understanding of Subramanyan's discourse.' - extracted from the opening page

Divided into 12 sections, this book uses as examples artworks by various Indian artists, artworks as far back as the Ajanta cave murals to more modern pieces such as Abanindranath Tagore's watercolour paintings. Other Indian artists include F. N. Souza, S.H. Raza, and Nandalal Bose. The book also discusses Western artistic movements in the light of various artists, such as Velasquez, Matisse, and Picasso.