The Indologist Indian - In memory of Ervin Baktay

Baktay Ervin (1980-1963) is one of the most important contemporary researcher of Indian culture. After fifty some years later of his death he still the most significant Hungarian popularizer of the Indian culture by arranging exhibitions and publishing numerous books as well az articles. He started his careear as a painter, and later he became famous with his translations and studies. His family life had also strong connection to India, as a uncle of Amrita Sher-Gil, the world famous Indian painter. While he was creating significant accomplishments in geography, art history and astrology; until then we can also thank to Baktay the cult of Alexander Csoma de Kőrösi.

However his versatile talent not only in his works showed up. Based on his colorful childhood experiences with his friends they constructed Wild West and Inidan games, which have been acknowledged by the Indian Association of America. The author of one of the esssay the Indian art historian, Claudine Bautze-Picron demostrates how Baktay’s interest was develop in India, his role in the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asian Art, then he analyzes in detail Baktay’s major work, the Art of India, which has also been transleted into German (Die Kunst Indiens). One of the members of the Indian tribe founded by Baktay, József Lorencz (Eagla Feather) displays the life and habits of the tribe through Baktay’s personality. The volume is complemented with a detailed biography of Ervin Baktay.