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

PLATE II

PAINTED FRAGMENTS FROM MÌRÁN, SHRINE III

M. III. 004

THESE fragments which had fallen from a picture above the dado of the circular cella, showing the legs of a figure standing with feet apart, turned towards the right, may have belonged to the figure whose right arm appears in M. III. 003 (plate 1), reproduced to a different scale. The stance is

appropriate to the act of throwing, in which the arm seems to be engaged. The

garment, red-brown, is gathered well up the thighs and a loop of a buff stole

swings out to the front. The toes of the right foot rest on a white ground shaded

with pale grey. The flesh is bright pink shaded with warm grey and pink. The

background is black, as is also the ground colour of the tree in M. III. 003.

M. III. 005

Shows portions of three heads of disciples, two looking towards the left and the

third downwards towards the right. The treatment is similar to that of M. III.

003 (plate 1), and there is the same expression of individuality by variation in

complexion. In the upper face is shown the grey resulting from shaving off a

heavy beard. The background is vermilion and white.

M. III. 006

This fragment shows parts of the heads of two personages of the same type as

the adorant in M. M. 002 (plate 1). They look in opposite directions with intent

expression in their wide-open eyes. They wear the distinctive head-dress which

seems to be peculiar to these Miran pictures. The face to the right shows full lips

and a small, natural, black moustache. Both have the customary black locks of hair

falling in front of the ears. The eyes are large and the impasto of white gives a

most effective sparkle to the expression. Background, vermilion.

MAIL 0011

Part of the face of a rather senior person of stern and obstinate expression. The

eye is heavily shaded by a thick black edge to the upper eyelid and the strongly

arched eyebrow descends at its inner end in a definite frown. The full-lipped

mouth is rather pursed with an obstinate firmness accentuated by the expression

f1l

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