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

of the nostril, downdrawn tip of the nose, and prominent chin emphasized by

an encircling red line. Altogether not an amiable character. There is very little

shading to the light buff flesh. Background, light buff. The execution is bold but

rather poor.

M. III. 0017

Shows a group of three seated figures facing towards the left, similar to the

small figure in M. III. 002 (plate 1). Behind is a fourth figure of the same type.

All are fragmentary. The most complete shows that the hands were folded rever-

entially, and the same pose is that of the figure to the extreme right, whose arms

and part of hands are visible. They wear loin-cloths (dhotis) gathered about their

legs, and stoles draped over the shoulders. The front of the body and the arms are

bare. The figure to the left wears a red-brown dhoti and bright red stole; the middle

figure, a light green dhoti and white stole; that on extreme right, a pale yellow dhoti

with no stole visible. The flesh is light, tinted with bright pink and shaded with

grey. The drapery is shaded or contoured with a suitable colour; red with black

lines; green with dark grey; white with pale grey, and yellow with red. In the case

of the white and green, the folds are represented as shades rather than as lines.

The flesh contours are red-brown. Background, visible between the legs wearing

green and yellow dhotis, is rich red.

M. III. 0019

The heads of two girls with hands folded together as in adoration or respect as

they gaze, wide-eyed, towards their left. The faces are fair with pink cheeks and

are painted with very definite chiaroscuro, the shades being pearly-grey. The

almond-shaped eyes are straight but rather too near together and the general

expression is animated, slightly amused, and very observant with the expectant

curiosity of feminine youth.

The artist who painted some of these Mirán pictures had a faculty for suggest-

ing character and in the present case there is a cleverly conveyed difference of

character in these two girls. The girl to the left is very young and ready to be just

amused by whatever the business may be that is going on. The other seems slightly

older and more sophisticated and calculating; inclined to criticize the details of the

proceedings.

The slightly smiling lips are solid red, and the necks have the much-admired

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