The Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy Series

About the Author:
Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy (1887-1947), described by Heinrich Zimmer as "That noble scholar upon whose shoulders we are still standing", was one of the world's greatest art historians and scholars of traditional iconography. he knew thirty-six languages and admitted he did "actually think in both Eastern and Christian terms, Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Pali and to some extent Persian and even Chinese." While serving as a curator to the Bston Museum of Fine Arts in the latter part f his life, he devoted his work to the explication of traditional metaphysics and symbolism. His writings of this period are filled with references to Palto, Plotinus, Clement, Philo, Augustine, Aquinas, Shankara, Eckhart and the Rhinish and oriental mystics. AKC was responsible for creating the collections of oriental art for the Freer Museum, Washington D.C., as well as for the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. The Princeton University Bollingen Series LXXXIX presented three volumes by Roger Lipsey: His Life and Work, Metaphysics, and Traditional Art and Symbolism. AKC was the author of innumerable books and articles.

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Fons Vitae is honored to have been given the rights for the incomparable body of works by A.K. Coomaraswamy (1877-1947), “a cardinal figure in Twentieth-century art history and in the cultural confrontation between East and West,” (Princeton University Press Bollingen Series LXXXIX Vol. I Coomaraswamy: Traditional Art and Symbolism, Vol. II Coomaraswamy: Metaphysics, Vol. III Coomaraswamy: His Life and Work). He was described by Heinrich Zimmer as “that noble scholar upon whose shoulder we are still standing.”

Born in Ceylon, educated in his mother’s homeland England, he became one of the world’s greatest art historians and scholars of traditional iconography. He served as curator in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts until his death, having been the first Oriental to make the meaning of oriental art understood in the West. He played an important role in the collection of Persian Art for the Freer in Washington, D.C. and the Boston Museum of Fine Art as well.

What made him one of the most qualified and gifted interpreters of traditional symbolism to have ever lived was his extensive knowledge, love, and understanding of our world’s diverse cultures, sacred scriptures, and languages. Coomaraswamy knew thirty-six languages, which meant for him that he had no need of a dictionary and knew that culture’s literature, poetry, and music. He once admitted, “ I actually think in both Eastern and Christian terms—Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, Pali, and to some extent Persian and Chinese.” For this reason, he had access to the deepest levels of meaning to be found in language which made it possible for him to truly be able to interpret symbols and mythologies within the context of the literature and where they are found.

Books in the Fons Vitae Coomaraswamy series include: 

The Origin of the Buddha Image & Elements of Buddhist Iconography by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

What is Civilisation? and other essays by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

Guardians of the Sundoor by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

The Living Thoughts of Gotama the Buddha by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

The Bugbear of Literacy by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy

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