THE INFLUENCE OF MODERN EUROPE ON INDIAN ART. 65

Edward Burne-Jones, MonierWilliams, J. E. Millais, Edwin
Arnold, Walter Crane and others spoke of " the rapid
deterioration that has of late befallen the great historical •
arts of India." They further remarked that " goods which
ought to be common in the market are now becoming
rare treasures for museums, or the cabinets of rich men."
Let us examine a few instances of this degeneration select-
ed from various authorities.

"The carpets of Masulipatam were formerly among the finest
produced in India, but of late years have also been corrupted by
the European, chiefly English, demand for them. The English
importers insisted on supplying the weavers with cheaper materials,
and we now find that these carpets are invariably backed with
English twine. The spell of the tradition thus broken, one
innovation after another was introduced into the manufacture.
The designs, which of old were full of beautiful detai,! and more
varied than now in range and scheme of colouring, were surround-
ed by a delicate outline suggested as to tint by a harmonising
contrast with the colours with which it was in contact. But the
necessity for cheap and speedily executed carpets for the English
market has led to the abandonment of this essential detail in alt
Indian ^ornamentation. Crude inharmonious masses of unmeaning
form now mark the spots where formerly varied, interesting and
beautiful designs blossomed as delicately as the first flowers of
spring: and these once glorious carpets of Magulipatam have sunk
to a mockery and travesty of their former selves," (Sir George
Birdwood, 1880).

The following quotation from Sir George Watt's
* Indian Art at Delhi' illustrates the nature of the process
now taking place throughout the East:

" While examining a large series of old designs, one of the
chief kinkhab manufacturers expressed amusement at the interest
shown in worthless old mica sketches, long out of fashion. He
explained that he possessed a book of great value from which all
his most successful designs had, for some years past, been taken.
On being desired to show this treasured pattern book, he produced
a sample book of English wall papers. ..... This at once

explained the monstrous degeneration perceived in the Benares

Idnkhabs....., not in Benares only, but throughout

India the fine old art designs that have been attained after centuries
of evolution are being abandoned and models utterly unsuited and
far inferior artistically are being substituted. The writer can
-confidently affirm that he found in at least 50 per cent, of the