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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

1074 CAVE-TEMPLES & ANTIQUES OF THE THOUSAND BUDDHAS [Ch. XXV

consisting of dhôfi and narrow stole passed round shoulders and hanging upon arms. Sometimes a narrower stole set with metal ornaments is found also, hanging from shoulders ; a girdle of drapery knotted upon hip. Striped materials are always used for dhôlis, broader bands of colour being inwoven with mingled threads of other hues or with spot or flower patterns. The stole is of contrasted colours on reverse sides, usually with spot pattern on each, and like dhôf: has fringed ends. Latter garment drawn closely round legs, seldom reaching below knee, and held round waist by belt, the long end then falling in conventional folds between legs. The narrow stole leaves upper part of body practically bare.

Jewellery heavy and comparatively simple in style, its most distinctive feature being the tiara, which is practically the same in all. It consists of gold circlet, set in front with three massive triangular ornaments, chased and jewelled and resembling tiaras of ' Indian' paintings *Ch. Iv. 004, etc.; but the ornaments adjoin each other, giving a still more solid effect. Necklace consists of heavy collar, set sometimes with central jewel and pendants, sometimes with row of jewels ; the most elaborate have also row of pendent jewels beneath. Ear-rings in all cases take form of jewelled rosettes ; bracelets are plain hoops usually set with single large jewel. Armlets of corresponding type are found in two (Ch. lvi. 002, ooro). Halo circular in lvi. ooz and 004, but in others oval ; formed in all cases of variegated rings of colour of different widths. Canopy represented by straight or drooping band of drapery, occasionally decked with tassels and pendants.

General style of work very primitive; drawing clumsy, even grotesque, the lines on the two sides corresponding but rudely. The range of colour is simple, comprising two shades of pink, red, blue, green, white, yellow, and black ; tints themselves coarse and muddy. An attractive feature of the figures is the naïveté of their expression, which is varied and speaking. It is often very different on two sides of same painting, and on these many variations of detail are also found.

Ch. lvi. o ox. Subject : Avalokilesvara. Head 4 L., slightly bent ; R. hand in vara•mudra ; L. raised carrying pink lotus. Dhöli striped light red and yellow interwoven with flower and line patterns in yellow, red, and white, and divided by narrow bands of green, pink, and unpainted buff of silk ; stole green spangled with yellow (rev. unpainted buff of silk spangled with white and dark red). Seated Buddha on front of tiara, but this and jewels left same yellow as setting. Fig. short-bodied, and slender in waist. Flesh white, but paint mostly gone. Halo oval, green drapery of canopy above, and underfoot single lotus of yellowish red. Remains of buff silk streamer below. Painting x' 9" x 5k", length with streamer x' x

Ch. lvi. 002. Subject : Bodhisattva Vajrapani. R. hand in vara-mudra by side ; L. horizontal before breast supporting the Vajra which stands on end. Dhôli of dark red, yellow, light blue, and white interwoven. No stole. Girdle of dark red, with flower pattern in white and yellow, passed round hips and knotted on L. Narrow band of

white comes over R. shoulder and crosses under girdle, ends on thigh. Short curls wave at side of head, making background to ears. Flesh a uniform green, with palms of hands and edge of soles of feet red. Fig. somewhat heavier than majority of this class. Underfoot, double dark-pink lotus, from which twining stems with buds and flowers rise shoulder-high on either side. Halo circular. Overhead, straight band of canopy, red with pattern of large flowers in blue, white, red, and green, and pendent tassels. For Tib. inscr. written on background to L. of head, see App. K.

Top of painting and all accessories lost. i' gin x 5r" PI. LXXXVII.

Ch. lvi. 003. Subject : Avalokilesvara (Padmapâni ?). Head 4 L., slightly bent ; R. hand in abhaya-mudra ; L. hand by thigh carries long-stemmed pink lotus. Dhôli of striped dark green, pink, and red interwoven with yellow and blue ; stole red, spangled with yellow ; on reverse side, blue spangled with white. Flesh white shaded with pink, outlines dark red. Halo oval. Underfoot dark pink lotus, and overhead remains of red canopy with white flower spots. Paint well preserved. L. top corner and all accessories lost. r' 8" X 5". PI. LXXXVII.

Ch. lvi. 004. Subject : Avalokilesvara. Head â L., slightly bent ; R. hand in vara-ntudrâ, L. raised holding long-stemmed double pink lotus. Dhôli striped red, green, pink, and blue, interwoven with white and yellow ; stole red (rev. green) spangled with yellow. Narrow band of dull pink cloth set with occasional jewelled gold rosettes hangs from shoulders upon breast. Representation of Dhyanibuddha in meditation on central orn. of tiara, and white lotuses at ears. Flesh painted white (much lost), with palms of hands and edge of soles of feet red. Halo circular. Underfoot double lotus, petals alternately dull pink and green ; overhead remains of canopy of red cloth with dark red and yellow spot pattern, pendent tassels and lotus buds. To L. is Brâhmi inscr. on background.

Top of painting and all accessories lost. r' 9" x Pl. LXXXVII.

Ch. lvi. oo5. Subject :   (?). Head â R.,

slightly bent ; hands low before body, R. in profile with thumb bent, apparently intended to grasp stem of lotus, which however disappears unsupported behind wrist; L. carrying lemon in hollowed palm. Pale pink double lotus, full-blown, rises above shoulder supporting book. Dhôfi of striped blue and red with spot patterns in white and yellow, divided by narrower stripes of pale pink and green. Stole of green spangled with yellow ; reverse side pale pink and white. Necklace a row of round jewels in narrow circular settings, with a lozenge-shaped- jewel dependent from each. On back side fewer pendants shown. Flesh a uniform yellow ; inside of R. hand red. Halo oval, with remains of blue drapery of canopy behind; underfoot pink single lotus (colour much gone). R. top corner and all accessories lost. r~ 91" x 51`.

Ch. lvi. oo 6. Subject : Manjuiri (?). Head 4 R., slightly bent ; R. hand in abhaya.mudra, L. low before body