How did European perceptions of Indian art evolve from initial exoticism to academic analysis over several centuries? Historian Partha Mitter examines the complex history of Western engagement with Indian aesthetics, utilizing a vast array of historical documents, travelogues, and visual evidence. The work argues that European reactions were deeply influenced by prevailing cultural biases, colonial frameworks, and shifting intellectual paradigms, ultimately shaping the way Indian art was categorized and valued in the West.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational text in the field of post-colonial art history and cross-cultural studies. Readers frequently note the academic rigor and the depth of the research, which remains highly relevant for understanding the history of Western perspectives on non-Western art.