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0562 Serindia : vol.2
Serindia : vol.2 / Page 562 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000183
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Io6o CAVE-TEMPLES & ANTIQUES OF

THE THOUSAND BUDDHAS [Ch. XXV

only are represented, standing about car. Three of these wear Chinese official or magisterial dress—trailing under-robes, upturned shoes, and wide-sleeved jackets tied with girdle under arms. Two of them stand beyond the car ; one in pale blue and white, bearded, carrying a dish of flowers ; on his head a high narrow black head-dress within crown of which appears a white boar's head. His companion wears white under-robe and black jacket with gilded girdle ; he holds up in R. hand brush, in L. tablet or sheet of paper ; his hair done in two stiff loops behind fillet decorated with seven stick-like upstanding orns.; between loops rises a monkey. The third stands in centre foreground playing on lute (for details of instruments, see Miss Schlesinger's note, App. H) ; his robes are white ; on his head a phoenix. The fourth in R. bottom corner is of muscular demonic type with fiery hair and grotesque features; he is four-armed, carrying in R. hands arrow and sword, in L. hands trident ; on top of his head is a blue horse-head.

Inscr., 3 H. fairly preserved, on cartouche in L. top corner. For date, cf. Binyon, Appendix L', IV.

Colouring chiefly crimson, blue, and green on fawn-coloured background ; workmanship good.

Painting 2' 2' x z' 9k', with purple silk top 2' 6 ". Pl. LXXI.

*Ch. liv. oo8. Painted linen banner; one of a set comprising Ch. liv. oo9; Iv. 0037, and lvi. 0021-2. All are of . the same size and in the same style and colouring, and have similar accessories. oo8 complete except for weighting-board, clean and in good condition. Head-piece border of bright pink linen ; streamers of dark brown.

Subject : Bodhisattva standing â L. ; R. hand raised holding pink lotus bud, L. raised in vitarka-mudrh. Dress and coiffure in ` Chinese Buddhist' style of *Ch. 002, etc. (The other Bodhisattvas in series are in more Indian' dress of *Ch. i. oo16.) Hard colouring of orange, yellow, indigo, crimson, and green.

Painting z' 5' x 6", length of whole 3' 6k'. Pl. I.XXXVIII.

Ch. liv. oog. Painted linen banner ; one of set enumerated under the preceding. Same accessories, colouring, and workmanship ; good condition.

Subject : Avalokitefvara (?) standing a R. with hands in adoration. Dress, etc., as in *Ch. i. oo16 ; q. v. for general descr. and list of similar banners.

Painting 1' S" x 6r, length of whole 3' 5".

Ch. liv. oozo. Woodcut on paper, with Chin. text and standing fig. of Avalokitesvara (Kuan-yin). Slender fig. standing erect a L., on lotus upon hexagonal pedestal. R. hand raised holding willow spray, L. by side carrying flask. Dress and coiffure of ' Indian' Bodhisattva, with scarves twined about body and legs. Oval halo covered with floral orn. and bordered with flame. The whole suggestive of bronze statuette. On R. one 1. Chin. with epithets of Kuanyin. Vajra border down each side; wide floral border at top and bottom. Good condition. I Iâ" x 3e". Pl. C.

Ch. liv. oonl. Paper painting with Chin. inscr., representing Avalokileivara (Kuan-yin) seated cross-legged on lotus, hands lying within each other in lap ; Dhyâni-buddha on front of tiara. Dress and orns. of Indian ' Bodhisattva; circular vesica and oval halo ; flower spray as canopy above. Coarse workmanship. Colouring only pink and light red (on robes, flesh, and flowers), pale yellow, green, grey on jewellery, halo, etc., and black on hair and outlines.

Salutation to Kuan-yin on cartouche in R. upper corner, and additional inscr. written on background down L. edge stating that donor was a shoemaker ; cf. Petrucci, Appendix E, II. Good condition. r' 51" x r'.

Ch. lv. 002. Fr. of silk painting, with Chin. inscr., showing part of Jataka scene (unidentified). Incomplete ; all sides and much broken, but otherwise in fair condition.

Scene preserved shows lotus lake in which stands white elephant 'holding long-stemmed lotus in trunk. In front grassy ground rising abruptly from lake ; upon it are falling headlong with horrible grimaces two muscular, half-naked figs., probably intended for Asuras. They have grotesque bony features, top-knots and beards of light brown hair, and wear stoles and short breeches of crimson, blue, or green, spotted with flowers ; also jewellery consisting of ear-rings, armlets, anklets, and bracelets.

The inscriptions contain references to rebirth ; but the cartouches (3) are irregularly placed, falling half on ground and half on water of lake ; in all cases half falling on water deliberately effaced, along with inscription. Possibly, therefore, these do not refer to this scene at all, but to some earlier Sukhâvati for which this scene was adapted. For apart from effaced halves of inscriptions there are no obvious signs of previous drawing.

At bottom a detached fr. showing on much smaller scale fine fragment of landscape : stream, flat plain with desolate row of trees, reindeer-like animal feeding, and mountains in background. I' I I' X I' 41".

Ch. lv. 002. a. Fr. of paper painting showing part of jewelled canopy and red-flowering trees behind a Buddha, as in "Ch. 0051, etc. Verandah of building in background. Painted entirely in red and brown on buff ground. Rough work. 1' 1' x 9".

Ch. 1v. 003. Large silk painting representing Six-armed Avalokilesvara, seated, with attendants. Border preserved along sides and top, but lower end of picture lost, remainder much broken, and painting almost effaced.

Avalok. of Indian ' type, almost replica of Ch. xxvi. ooi, is seated in middle on ornamental lotus rising on scrolled clouds, prob. from tank, but centre foreground lost. Attitude of royal ease ', with R. knee raised, L. leg bent across, head leaning over R. shoulder and resting on hand of upper R. arm, which again is supported on knee. L. upper hand by head, with third and fourth fingers curled in, others extended; middle hands, L. in vitarka-mudrà at breast, R. below it, open, palm up ; lower hands, R. hanging down holding rosary, L. lying on Padmâsana by knee, but painted as