Figures of Speech or Figures of Thought

Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was a significant historian of Indian art and a key interpreter of Indian culture for the West. He focused on the meaning of art within traditional cultures and the philosophical beliefs that shape artistic styles. His work, including the collection of essays titled Figures of Speech or Figures of Thought (1946), explores the connection between art and life, traditional art forms, and the parallels between Eastern arts and pre-Renaissance Western art.1

A "figure of speech" is any deliberate departure from literal language used to emphasize, clarify, or beautify communication. These are found in all forms of language, from everyday speech to literature. Coomaraswamy's work, Figures of Speech or Figures of Thought, delves into these linguistic devices and their deeper meaning.21