National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Sec. ï3] LIST OF PAINTINGS, TEXTILES , ETC., FROM CHIEN-FO-TUNG   957

rosettes in olive and black ; girdle olive-green ; stole olive-green and dark grey; scarf across breast and draperies behind shoulders dark red-brown ; jewellery and flask of same colour outlined with yellow and black. Hair black, done in high cone and falling in smooth mass behind shoulders. Eyes oblique, with both upper and under eyelid strongly curved. Halo circular, of variegated rings of reddish brown and grey ; upper background filled with scattered flowers. In L. upper corner blank yellow cartouche for inscr.

3' 4" X 2' 4". Pl. LXIX.

Ch. oo8g. Miniature silk banner ; complete, body and streamers orn. with stencilled designs, but unpainted.

Body and head-piece are of plain red silk, cut in one piece and stamped with design of Padmâsana, with row of rhomboids below, and above vandyked valance beneath which hangs fluted canopy with jewelled edge. Above again are bands of scroll pattern. Pointed top bordered with fine light blue silk damask, woven in stripes of lattice pattern alternating (1) with rows of four-petalled rosettes.

Side-streamers of plain silk of same blue, stencilled with pendent leaf patterns. Two bottom streamers of plain green silk with pattern of undulating stem and leaves. Bottom streamers made by slitting one piece of silk down middle, but not to end either way; undivided lower end is fixed in groove of small weighting-board, painted yellow, with enclosed palmettes drawn in ink and background painted grey.

Length of whole r' Io", apex to bottom of banner proper I I"; width 2 'Ç side streamers q".

Ch. oogi. Large silk painting representing Avalokitedvara (Kuan-yin), standing, without attendants, but with two small donors low on R. side. Border lost, and whole of painting below knees of fig. ; remainder intact though colouring much faded. Fig. stands facing spectator, head erect but eyes downcast ; weight thrown on R. hip and body aslant to L. shoulder in characteristic ` Indian ' pose. R. hand in vitarka-mudrâ at breast with willow spray between finger and thumb ; L. by side holding flask and twining spray of pink lotus which rises beside head. Dhyani-buddha on front of tiara, which is simple circlet orn. with flaming jewels, light spray of leaves behind Dhyâni-buddha, and long tassels at ears.

The Bodhisattva is one of finest single figs. amongst the paintings, and despite loss of colour not unsatisfactorily preserved; for disappearance of paint gives greater value to clear and delicate drawing of face and fig. Workmanship shows perfect mastery of technique, but the fig. preserves notwithstanding air of individuality. This is specially noticeable in head, which is that of young man, and shows marked Gandhâra influence. Brow high; nose long and straight; eyes only slightly oblique, with moderately arched eyebrows at a normal distance above them, sweeping a slightly recurved line to outer edge of brow. The thinner cheeks and more natural spacing and proportion of features give the face a reality which those of conventional semi-feminine Bodhisattvas lack. Fig. is slim, pose dignified but gracious, expression of face meditative and remote.

Dress and hair are in ' Chinese ' Bodhisattva style as in *Ch. 002, but with scarf only across breast instead of under-robe. Stole in (faded) grey and olive-green, jewellery and scarf across breast light red, the skirt brown (?); hair black, done in double-leaf form on top.

In R. lower corner appear two small kneeling figs., boy or man and girl, holding lotus buds. Boy's hair parted and tied in double bunch on either side of head ; girl's simply parted and taken behind. Both wear plain long-sleeved robes, covering them from neck to feet ; colour lost. Blank cartouche for inscr. on L. upper edge.

3' I " X I' II". Thousand Buddhas, Pl. X V III.

Ch. 0095. Painted silk banner ; all accessories and upper end of painting lost ; remainder well preserved.

Subject : Lokapâla (?) or celestial attendant. Stands 4 L. upon curling clouds, feet apart walking, hands in adoration before breast. Wears modification of Lokapala dress of Ch. xxvi. a. oo6, but in physique is young, slim, and entirely non-grotesque. He tarries no weapons, and his defensive armour is slighter and more elegant than the average Lokapâla's.

Coat of mail ends well above knee, in red flower-decorated border and green pleated edging, and has high open collar exposing front of neck. Corslet small, and buckles over shoulders with straps. Scales of the coat of mail oblong throughout ; painted yellow, white, and green on upper parts, and white and blue on skirts ; colour much lost. From beneath coat of mail, on arms, appear folds of crimson drapery, and long pleated green frills hanging at elbows. Lower arms are covered by wide soft sleeves of pink and white, bordered with green and sprinkled with green quatrefoils.

Skirt is fine crimson, with quatrefoil spot pattern in white and yellow. Its outer border, ground of corslet and arm-guards, and upper borders of coat of mail are slate-blue, picked out with narrow lines of white and black. Reverse border of skirt, sleeves, and collar, terra-cotta ; hip-belt and borders of corslet, green ; corslet-straps and shoes, black. Greaves have metal framework and elongated discs, painted as if of oblong scale-armour, with border of slate-blue leather, covering back of legs.

Face young and amiable in expression, with level narrow black eyes, long straight nose, and curved, parted red lips. Flesh white, shaded with pink ; slight wavy black moustache and imperial ; eyebrows and eyelashes drawn in fine arched black lines. The rich black hair festooned on forehead, with thick lock before each ear ; dressed in drooping top-knot above, and held in place by light crescent-shaped bands of gold with jewel orn. over forehead and flaming jewels at ears. Ears are of normal length and have no rings ; behind, a plain circular halo of greenish yellow.

Work and colouring good, but rather worn.

I' Io4" X 6". PI. LXXXIII.

Ch. oog6. Painted silk banner; much broken and all accessories lost.

Subject : Bodhisattva. Stands facing spectator ; L. hand