The Sanskrit word rasa , meaning “flavor,” “essence,” or “taste,” is at the heart of an ancient Indian theory of aesthetics that explores the emotional experience of art. First articulated more than two thousand years ago, the concept describes rasa not simply as the emotion expressed by an artist or depicted in a work, but as the feeling that arises through the viewer’s encounter with it—the dynamic exchange between artist, artwork, and audience. Bringing together paintings, sculptures, and…