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Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

thinner than those in M. III; and the curve of the lunette rather flatter. On the

broad black-festooned band are roughly drawn scrolls effectively painted in red

outlined with white.

These rough scrolls have special interest in being definitely Chinese in form

although wanting in the quality of Chinese execution. Comparison with the `cloud'

scrolls, as I have called them, on the Chinese figured silks of the Han period dis-

covered by Sir Aurel Stein at Lou-lan, shows significant resemblance to these,

which may also be accepted as intended to typify clouds.' Mirán being on the old

Silk Route, it may be reasonably conjectured that pieces of old Chinese silks of the

Han dynasty would occasionally find their way here; and would provide the

painter with a motive so suitable for his purpose. There is nothing in any of the

Mirán paintings to suggest that the painters were themselves Chinese.

It is noticeable that among the remains of the elaborate painted decoration of

these shrines or temples, there are almost no ornamental features as distinct from

the figure work. There is an ornamental band round the upper edge of the chariot

in the Vessantara picture, and that is composed of the same type of cloud-scroll

already noticed. The rich cloth over the back of the elephant had a design of

repeating circles enclosing rosettes —a motive very common with Chinese weavers

in T'ang times and rather earlier. Beyond this one simple motive of the cloud-

scroll, there is nothing in Mirán Art that is referable to Chinese influence; for

the rosette pattern might equally well be Western or Indian.

In the paintings of both M. III and M. V shrines, the heads are always drawn

three-quarter face; with large eyes wide open but too close together, and always

looking to the side never to the front. The eyebrows are arched and usually well

separated. The neck is frequently long and always has horizontal creases. The

treatment of the hair presents some interesting features. The boys, or amorini, sup-

porters of the festoon in M. V, plate III, when capless, have a thick leaf-shaped

tuft on the top of the otherwise clean-shaven scalp. The winged figures, M. III. ii

and viii, plate I, show the same arrangement, but have also a long rippling lock

growing from the side of the head and falling down the cheek in front of the ear.

The boy's head, M. V. vi, plate III, has normal, short, curly hair but with a more

bushy mass in centre front and a short lock beside the ear. In M. V. 004, plate III,

the hair, although rather short, is curly and thick with a thicker mass on top, rising

above the general level, in two projections. In M. III. 003, plate I, the Buddha has

I Cf. Andrews: Ancient Chinese Figured Silks. Quaritch, 192o.

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