National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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Serindia : vol.2 |
938 CAVE-TEMPLES & ANTIQUES OF THE THOUSAND BUDDHAS [Ch. XXV | |||||
" | xxx. oor; xxxiv. 003; xlvi. oor-3, 0012; 1v. 0013, 0026, 0044-5 ; lviii. 005 ; Ixi. 007. Ch. 002. Head-piece of lemon silk damask, loosely woven, with plain ground ; pattern in twill of chevron bands touching at their angles and forming lozenges, in centres of which are diamond spots. Border of light red silk ; suspension loop of white silk gauze. Streamers of dark blue silk coarsely woven and glazed ; R.-hand side streamer replaced by one of similar silk, dark green. Weighting-board orn. with row of palmettes enclosed within elliptical borders whose ends form volutes at base of palmette ; ground roughly painted red. Subject : Bodhisattva. Stands 4 R. on scarlet lotus, with head erect, R. hand in vitarka-rudrâ, L. curved over breast. Fig. slightly thrown back from hips giving characteristic curve to the long draperies of skirt. Dress, jewels, coiffure, and general treatment of fig. and accessories same as in *Ch. oor ; except that drapery over breast is here part of complete under-robe tied in at waist and crossing fig. from shoulder, and that stole is of opaque material covering both shoulders like shawl. Face comparatively short and broad, with low forehead, straight nose and cheeks, small mouth painted scarlet, and narrow slightly slanting eyes with finely curved lines to upper and lower lid. Flesh extremely delicately shaded in pink on natural grey of the silk. Colouring exceptionally fresh and well preserved. Predominant colours are deep maroon and dark olive-green, used for reverse sides of stole and thus giving solidity to upper part of fig. and outlining sweep of lower draperies with its long hanging ends. Amongst subsidiary colours are various pinks ranging from salmon-red to scarlet (on skirt and Padmâsana), slate-blue and green (on borders of robes and halo and jewels of Bva. and canopy), and yellow (on metal-work). Yellow cartouche for inscr. to R. of head, blank. Painting a' a "X 7r", length of whole 6' r". Pl. LXXXII. Ch. 003. Painted silk banner, with head-piece, weighting-board, and streamers complete, and in excellent condition. Apparently companion to preceding, as size, gauze used for painting, and all accessories are identical, except for body of head-piece, which here is of fine cream silk gauze. Through suspension loop is knotted a loop of string, wound with variegated silk yarn of which traces remain, red, yellow, and green. Subject : Bodhisattva. Stands L. upon slate-blue lotus, hands crossed over one another and hanging low before body. Fig. slopes somewhat forward to waist from shoulders and feet ; straight backward-going lines of skirt draperies give it effect of advancing. Dress and general treatment as in *Ch. ooz, and workmanship of same highly refined and skilful quality. Stole has slipped down from shoulders ; breast also bare of under-robe or drapery. Colouring subdued in tone, consisting chiefly of deep soft olive-green and slate-blue mingled, on stole, under-robe, borders of skirt, and lotus underfoot. Skirt itself transparent pinkish red as in *Ch. 002, and flesh yellower tinge of pink. Green and blue lightened by fine lines of white in folds, and | white tips to lotus. Cartouche for inscr. to L. of head, blank. Painting a' X"x 7-'¢", length of whole 6'. Pl. LXXVII. Ch. 004. Painted silk banner, complete and excellently preserved, head-piece and suspension loop of cream silk gauze bound with apricot silk ; side and bottom streamers of dark green and dark blue silk resp. ; weighting-board with enclosed palmette design in black on red ground. Subject : Dharmapâla Vajrapân:: Chinese demon type, with muscular fig. and large head upon hunched shoulders ; standing slightly to R. in tense attitude with feet planted apart on two lotuses, head turned back over R. shoulder, L. hand low by side supporting end of ornamental vajra which rises by head. R. hand, with fingers stiffly spread, steadies it half-way up. Dress : scarlet dhbli or short skirt, with slate border, reaching to knees and tied round hips with trailing white girdle ; narrow stole, olive-green and pink ; bracelets, anklets, necklace, and jewelled chain like Bodhisattva. Hair also like Bodhisattva's of *Ch. oor type, in drooping top-knot and long • locks behind shoulders, bound with white fillet, whose ends fly up fiercely at ears. Grotesque face with enlarged staring eyes, misshapen nose, and moustaches and beard in long straggling tufts. Exaggerated muscles are drawn in strong black lines and emphasized by painting in light red. Halo a disc of light green with flames creeping round edge ; conventional thunder-cloud behind of purple and white ; and draped valance in vandyked band above. Yellow cartouche for inscr. (blank) to L. of head. Colour bright and clean ; drawing bold, following conventions of type but unexaggerated. For replica see Ch. i. oo6 ; and for other Dharmapàla banners, Ch. i. 004 ; xxiv. oor, 002 ; xxvi. a. 005 ; liv. 002 ; lxi. oo6. Painting a' 24 x 7*", length of whole 6' 2-r. PI. LXXXVI. Ch. oos. Fr. of wooden statuette, L. hand and forearm. Elbow end cut smooth and keeps abundant traces of glue by which it was fastened to upper arm. Glue also by knuckle of little finger where hand was attached to body. This side of arm not at all finished. On wrist bracelet with central row of beads, and two tassel orns. up arm. Nails on thumb and first two fingers carefully marked. Boldly chiselled work. Length 4"; across wrist, i". Pl. XLVII. Ch. oo6. Wooden statuette. L. arm and L. foot broken off; R. arm upraised ; heels together and knees out-bent ; large head. This and protuberant belly suggest that child is intended ; features, however, angular and mature. Round waist narrow loin-cloth. Roughly chiselled work; features of face marked by deep incisions. H. 4". PI. XLVII. Ch. ooq. Wooden statuette in half-round for relief; Gandharvi (?) flying R. Arms and legs below knees missing; features of face much damaged. Hair done in three tiers of curls of which lower slopes sharply from forehead to shoulders, framing face, and uppermost forms small top-knot. Face long with high forehead. Body nude to below breasts, then thin vest clinging closely to body ; thick robe rolled round | |||
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