Indian Architecture (Buddhist and Hindu Periods) c19.41

c19.41

But it is in the larger figure carving that these viharas at Aurangabad excel, as some of the sculpture is of an unusual kind. There are several compositions containing representations of deities, some of them goddesses of massive proportions and voluptuous in form, for to comply with the requirements of the rock technique, this boldness of relief is in accordance with their architectural setting. It is, however, in the innermost shrine of vihara No. 3, that the most striking productions are found, for here are two groups of figures, almost life-size, and of surpassing interest. Each group consists of a number of votaries, kneeling in devout adoration before a colossal statue of the Buddha on his throne. There are both males and females, some offering garlands, others with clasped hands, and all displaying a touching eagerness in their attitude and expression. In the garments, head-dress and ornaments, and also in their physical appearance, they present a living picture of the people of the period. But they imply much more than a scene of everyday life of the seventh century. These groups of statuary show that when the sculptors were able to break away from their endless reproductions of the conventional and stylised images of the deities, they could depict the human form in its most life-like manner, realistically posed and naturally modelled. It is evident that genuine artistic expression was unduly restrained by the exacting conditions of the existing belief.