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Publishers Vete " Karnataka Kalavidaru " (Karnataka Artists) is the second work in the series planned by the author Sri A. N. Krishna Rao. The first volume published in 1946, introduced the life and work of sixteen distinguished Karnataka Artists. The present work brings to light twentysix more artists. Vocalists belonging to Karnataka and Northern style of Music: Titte Krishna Iyengar, Nilamma Kadambi, Sankar Dixit, G. Chennamma, V.N. Rao, Gangubai Hanagal, A. Subba Rao, Chokkamma; Veena-Players Doreswamy Iyengar, R. N. Doreswamy, Nagaraja Rao; Violinists. Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu, Sivarudrappa, B.T. Rajappa ; Flutist M.R. Doreswamy; Painters - F. G. Yelavatti, S. N. Swamy, Minajagi, P. Subba Rao ; Actors · Parswanath Altekar, K. Hiriyannaiah, Handiganoor Siddaramappa : Dancers : Ramgopal, U.S.Krishna Rao, Maya Devi; Photographer: B.L. Sitharam. The studies are illustrated with portraits of artists and also select reproductions from their work. The appendices contain four articles. The author in a well - documented article discusses the theory of Ragamala pictures with particular reference to the Ragamala paintings of Minajagi. The desirability of using Vachanas for Music is discussed in another article. And the third discusses the author's theory of art. Prof. Mallikarjun Mansur's comparative study on Karnataka and Northern Styles of Music is included to aid better understanding between these two systems. In his General Introduction the author discribes at length the present decadent state of fine Arts in Karnataka and suggests ways and means to ameliorate it. He pleads for a full-fledged 'Arts Academy' and State patronage to artists. The publishers are sanguine that this work replete with a deep understanding of fine arts and constructive suggestions for an art - renaissance will be a landmark in the history of art - literature of Karnataka.
