In the course of my career, I have combined research with teaching and exhibition-related activities around the world. Extensive field travel in South Asia, with visits to sites of importance in Southeast Asia, has given me first hand familiarity with the art of the region. My background in classical Sanskrit and Tamil, and knowledge of a range of modern Indian languages has proved invaluable. My writings have incorporated translations of ancient poetry, and material from unpublished manuscripts, in order to illuminate an artistic milieu. Over the years, my work has ranged from Buddhist art of the centuries BC to the esoteric temples of North India, and from the sacred bronzes of South India to art under the British Raj. Management and curatorial experience at the Smithsonian’s Freer and Sackler Galleries provided a broad mandate to convey the excitement of the field of South Asian art to non-specialist audiences. Over the course of my career, I have published 27 books and over 35 scholarly articles.

Published Books