Perhaps the most versatile of modern creative artists, Indian or Western, not excepting T.S. Eliot and D.H. Lawrence, Tagore doubtless offers us a fairly profound and elaborate aesthetic theory, though, of course, he does not write about art and literature with the deliberate intention of a writer of aesthetics. From a systematic, close study of the pronouncements and cogitations on art and literature, scattered in his variegated writings, emerges an aesthetic philosophy, which is absolutely invaluable to apprehend and appreciate his creative mind as well as the Indian and Western arts and literatures. Much of the finest of the Indian and Western aesthetics has been retouched and modernized by him, and to this he has contributed considerable by dint of his original mind. Hence the need and justification for a book such as this.

There is almost a plethora of critical studies on the various aspects of Rabindranath Tagore's mind and art. But, curiously enough, only little attempt has hitherto been made to assimilate ad assess his theory-statements on art in detail. This paucity of work further necessitates a thorough exploration of this subject. The present book is an attempt to meet this need. A comprehensive study of Tagore's aesthetics, the book, it is hoped, will surely help the reader to understand Tagore, art and literature correctly.

K.K. Sharma, M.A. Ph.D., D.Litt., is Professor of English at the University of Allahabad. He is well-known for his books and articles both in India and abroad. Some of his notable full-length studies are: Joyce Cary: His Theme and Technique, Modern Fictional Theorists, Bhabani Bhattacharya: His Vision and Themes, Tradition in Modern Novel-Theory, The Partition in Indian English Novels, Indo-English Literature: A Collection of Critical Essays (Ed.), Perspectives on Mulk Raj Anand (Ed.), Perspectives on Raja Rao (Ed.), and Indian English Literature: A Perspective (Ed.).