Components of Eternity in Traditional Art: An Analysis of Ananda K. Coomaraswamy's Opinions and Ideas

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Iran University of Art, Theoretical Science Faculty and Higher Art Studies, Tehran, Iran.

2 M.A. Student in Art Studies, Iran University of Art, Theoretical Science Faculty and Higher Art Studies, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Since long ago, man has longed for eternal life and cultivated the dream of being immortal in his mind and conscience. The origin of this concern is in the love that man feels for immortality in the depths of his soul. Belief in immortality plays a decisive and important role in man’s perception of life and its meaning. The observation of the eternal visual order and stable symbolic manifestations is an objective sign of the stability of human determination and will in showing the infinite nature and eternal space, in humanity’s transitory encounter with the mortal and unstable material world. In the traditional worldview, art is a path for human perfection and the artist’s creativity as participation in divine creativity. Symbols are reflections of stability and durability in a world of change, because ideas are eternal essences and are free from changes and transformations. Traditional art is associated with knowledge and reflects manifestations of the realm of God and higher worlds beyond the material world. Coomaraswamy, a sage and a scholar of the Perennial Philosophy, explained and interpreted in his works the eternal dimension of traditional artworks and their symbolic meanings in accordance with this philosophy. He considers the heavenly fundamentals of existence to be the field of all dynamic and living patterns and examples in the process of creating a work of art. In other words, in his vision, works of art according to perennial philosophy cannot be divided into two categories, functional and spiritual, but belong to both functional and semantic, natural and metaphysical worlds. He considers symbols to be the universal language of art, an international language, which differs only in tones and accents. He considers the condition for understanding the true meaning of symbols, which are not just verbal constructions, to study the extensive written works of nations that contain the description of symbols, and to learn the basis of symbolic thought. Therefore, the importance and necessity of this research lies in enumerating, analyzing, explaining, clarifying, and regulating the components of eternity.
Purposes & Questions: This study seeks to analyze critical perspectives and to infer and elucidate the components of eternity in traditional art as articulated by him. The main question that this research seeks to answer is as follows: What are the eternal components in traditional art from Coomaraswamy’s point of view?
Methods: The research method is descriptive-analytical, and the method of collecting information and data has been done through documentary and library-based methods. Research in conventional academic categories is qualitative in terms of nature, fundamental and theoretical in terms of purpose, and descriptive and analytical in terms of tools. In the analysis, an effort has been made not to deviate from the foundations of perennial philosophy. It should further be noted that the research method involves engaging critically with relevant opinions and theories, avoiding the imposition of prejudice, extracting concepts of eternity from Coomaraswamy’s works, and systematically organizing them in accordance with the principles of perennial philosophy. The study and review of historical works based on the university research method clearly showed the gap and lack of extraction of the elements and components of eternity for traditional works of art. Therefore, the differences of this research compared to the background cases are the extraction, analysis, and explanation of the mentioned components in the art tradition from the mentioned point of view, and the discussion regarding the relationship of these indicators with the analysis of eternal symbolic features in the artworks.
Findings & Results: According to the opinions and views mentioned, traditional art has eternal and timeless indicators and components arising from universal semantic and epistemological principles and foundations in connection with its symbolic nature. These components include: The hierarchical and existential priority of intellectual knowledge (intuitive intellect in its Platonic sense) over sensory knowledge in the path of perfection, obtaining meanings from the unseen world and its image in imagination, Creativity in divine creativity by adapting to divine attributes, the representation of the eternal and continuous state of the heavenly world (more expression of the representation of the relation of objects with God or their source), applying the principle of unity in plurality, plurality in unity, Negation of individual and sensual expression and reference to the absolute and true self and the preference of the divine ego over the carnal ego and individuality of the artist, and Manifestation of absolute divine beauty in all beauties.

Keywords

References

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Negareh Journal
Volume 21, Issue 77
March 2026
Pages 170-191

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  • Receive Date: 06 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 09 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 21 September 2025

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