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0534 Serindia : vol.2
Serindia : vol.2 / Page 534 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000183
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1032 CAVE-TEMPLES & ANTIQUES OF

Scene 3. Return of Kanlhaka to Palace of Kapilavastu. Horse stands riderless before curtained pavilion, from which two women, prob. Ya§odharâ and Prajapati, have come out at his approach. The foremost bends over the empty saddle with an expression of grief. The other raises her hand to her eyes. A male fig., prob. a servant, runs out from L. with a pennon. Chandaka is not represented.

Architecture, dress, and general style purely Chinese throughout. The men in (i) dressed in long belted coats and black-tailed caps, as in Ch. xx. oo8 ; uddhodhana wears under-robe and sleeved jacket ; as does also servant in (3). The women wear usual skirt and long-sleeved jacket (see Ch. 0039); their hair done in two high stiff loops, as of the Wife in Ch. xxvi. a. 004. These banners prob. belong to same series, as style of drawing in both is the same ; scenes divided from each other by low mountain ranges, while background is sprinkled with little plants. Red and green are only colours used, apart from white, in Ch. xxvi. a. 003 ; red for some of the coats, the pavilion posts and curtains, Kanthaka's mane and tail, and little flowers on plants ; dull green for tall grass scattered here and there, and for hill ranges between the scenes. Three (blank) yellow cartouches are placed on edges of scenes.

For representation of same scenes, cf. Ch. xx. oo8 ; xlvi. 004, 007 ; lv. 0012 ; and lxi. ooz. Length, upper fr. x', lower fr.. 8'; width 7f'. Length of streamers 3' 2'.

Ch. xxvi. a. 004. Painted silk banner, broken and discoloured in places, but otherwise fairly preserved. All accessories lost. Probably belonged to same series as Ch. xxvi. a. 003.

Subject : The Seven Jewels. At top eight-pointed Wheel, standing on open pink-edged lotus upon pedestal. Below, to L. and R. resp., are Jewel and a strong-box representing treasurer or Minister. Jewel, green and of trefoil shape, rests also on lotus pedestal, with pyramid of flame rising from it. Strong-box is in form of oblong chest with strapped base, standing also on lotus and carrying flaming jewel on each of four corners. Beneath, facing each other, stand General (L.), and Wife (R.). Former advances, swaggering, to R., arrayed in sleeved and long-skirted coat of scale-armour girt with belt at hips and reaching below the knees. His feet are encased in top-boots, and his head in close-fitting helmet and gorget of scale-armour, joining on to coat at base of neck and leaving face only exposed. His face round with straight well-opened eyes and curled moustache and imperial. From belt in front hangs a large quiver (1) or scabbard with round open mouth, narrow neck, and wedge-shaped body. R. hand carries lance with red pennon, L. hand flat red shield shaped like hatchet blade.

The Wife stands opposite, attired in Chinese woman's dress of trailing skirt, and wide-sleeved jacket tied under arms. Her hands are muffled in sleeves upon breast. Her face round with straight eyes and eyebrows, sharp nose, and rosy cheeks. Her hair bound by gold fillet, and done in two high stiff loops which rise up from crown, turn stiffly down, and are turned in again at nape of neck ; cf. Queen Vaidehi's in *Ch. 0051, etc.

THE THOUSAND BUDDHAS [Ch. XXV

Underneath comes White Elephant in profile to R., the body long and legs very short, wrongly drawn. His tail is forked and his tusks spring upward from lower jaw. On back a saddle-cloth on which rest lotus and flaming jewel.

At bottom is Horse,   L., harnessed for riding ; with
high saddle (partly destroyed) from which hangs scabbard, and fly-whisk dangling under chin. Tail long, mane cut alternately in short and drooping locks. Horse also long-bodied, and drawing uncertain, especially about legs. These have large joints and hooves on thin shanks ; outlines shaky.

Colouring restricted to red and olive-green, both now dull ; the red appearing on lotus petals, flames, pennon, shield, straps of General's armour, Wife's jacket, and Horse's mane and tail ; olive on pedestals, jewels, and lines of undulating ground which divide various groups. Down each edge three, and beneath the Wheel, one, yellow cartouche for inscr., all blank. For subject, see Ch. 00xi4, 00471 ; above, p. 856.

2' x . PI. LXXV.

Ch. xxvi. a. 005. Painted silk banner; retaining all accessories except weighting-board, but in poor condition. Yellow-green silk border of head-piece intact, but interior (originally painted with floral design) almost completely destroyed. Upper end of painting broken off and raw edge sewn afresh to strainer. Side streamer (L.) of faded bluish-green silk, stamped with motifs of flowers or insects in black and whitish glazed paste ; side streamer (R.) plain green silk ; four bottom streamers of dark blue silk, stamped as L. side streamer and patched with green.

Subject : Dharnrapola Vajraptivi. Chinese demon type ; see under *Ch. 004. Stands facing spectator, upper half of fig. and head turned R.; R. hand by side grasps Vajra by middle, its jewelled top appearing behind R. shoulder ; L. arm bent up at elbow and fist clenched ; R. foot vigorously turned up with heel only on ground and sole exposed.

In general, type and treatment resemble Ch. 004, but execution inferior. Colouring limited wholly to red or dark pink and green; dhôli being red shaded with orange ; stole and streamers red and green on reverse sides ; jewels red and green ; halo light green with red creeping flame-border and red and green cloud above ; lotuses underfoot faint red outlined with darker shade. Fig. high-shouldered and brawny ; face rugged with severe and gloomy expression, bony temples, and receding forehead ; green irises to eyes.

Flesh left neutral brown of silk, but crossed everywhere, including face, with brush-strokes of acrid pink. This treatment, faintly traceable in Ch. i. 004 and found in modified form also in Ch. 004 and the other Vajrapânis, is apparently intended to give prominence to muscles. But here it has become a meaningless lattice-work of coarse pink, and forms the most striking feature of painting, which is coarse both in drawing and colour. In other Vajrapânis it is less noticeable, owing partly to use of much fainter colour.

Painting z' x"x 7", length of whole 5' rod".

Ch. xxvi. a. oo6. Painted silk banner, belonging to same series as *Ch. xxvi. a. 007. Upper end of painting lost, and all accessories except remains of bluish-green bottom