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

behind the hair. One end of the crown-like *mukuṭa* is visible above the ear. The
nimbus was probably green, surrounded by red and buff, with red contour lines.
Broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, the Bodhisattva wears a tight-fitting tunic
with half-sleeves finished at the elbows with large, shaded red and yellow petal-
like frills. The elegant hands, gracefully posed, have long tapering fingers and,
surprisingly, short nails. The lower part of the painting is badly damaged; but
round the waist can be seen an elaborate white frill, shaded with grey, and two
strings of pearls hanging from the waist. It is not necessary to describe in detail
the rich jewels, nor the clever draping of the white and green stole—all clearly
shown in the reproduction. Behind the figure, to the left, just below the elbow, is
the end of a rectangular shelf, in perspective. To the left of that, the abraded back-
ground is covered with a mass of closely packed many-petalled rosettes in bold
red outline, very faintly visible. To the extreme right, on the background, now
grey-buff, is a well-drawn pink peony with green leaves; and below, two more
green leaves with pink buds at their bases.
All outlines, black or red, are thin and firmly drawn. Such details as the drawing
of the bangles on the left wrist, the petal-like frills at the elbows, and the sweeping
lines of the bow behind the ear show the proficiency of the artist in drawing and
in the handling of the brush. Much abraded and faded in parts, and discoloured by
liquid mud that had run down the wall, it still presents a very beautiful example
of the mural painter's art.

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