国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

> > > >
カラー New!IIIFカラー高解像度 白黒高解像度 PDF   日本語 English
0569 Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2
中国砂漠地帯の遺跡 : vol.2
Ruins of Desert Cathay : vol.2 / 569 ページ(カラー画像)

New!引用情報

doi: 10.20676/00000213
引用形式選択: Chicago | APA | Harvard | IEEE

OCR読み取り結果

covered in the débris of different temples (Figs. 273, 275),
which from the very nature of their material could not have
been mechanically reproduced, show that art work of older
date and decided merit was also represented among the
votive deposits of this site.

Most remarkable among these specimens is, perhaps,
the little detached panel in wood, a kind of miniature stèle
(Fig. 275, 3) about one foot high, which in the two upper
stories shows a story from Buddha's legend, while on a
projecting base worshipping figures are represented. The
style of the modelling and the general disposition are so
closely akin to those prevailing in the Graeco-Buddhist
relievos of Gandhara that the idea of actual importation
from the confines of India strongly suggests itself. In the
same way the curved panel, perhaps originally forming part
of a large halo carved in wood and richly gilt, which is
decorated with five seated Buddha figures, could easily be
matched in the stone-cut relievos of Buddhist Viharas in
the Peshawar valley. Yet there can be no doubt that this
piece, like other decorative wood-carvings of which a few
specimens are given in Figs. 273, 275, must have been
produced locally.

An interesting contrast to all this evidence of pre-
dominant Graeco-Buddhist influence is supplied by the
excellently modelled little statuette in wood (Fig. 275, 4),
which represents a 'Guardian-king of the World,' probably
Vaisravana, in the best Chinese style of T'ang times.
It helps to remind us that here, as at Khotan, local art
during the last centuries of the Buddhist period must have
been exposed to a reverse current of influence from the
Far East.

This Chinese influence makes itself felt also in the
mural paintings of the site. Those on exposed wall surfaces
had suffered almost complete effacement; but in the vaulted
passages behind the cellas timely burial had occasionally
saved them from both fire and moisture. A large series of
fresco panels illustrating scenes in the life of Buddha have
survived almost complete. The panels were just big
enough to be cut out and safely removed. It was a hard
task, for the plaster adhered so closely to the wall that Naik
VOL. II 2 B