Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c6.14

c6.14

There are numerous references in Jain literature which give interesting descriptions of the decorative motifs and the technical process involved in painting, and also good descriptions of picture galleries. Thus it is mentioned at one place⁷ that the ceiling of Dhariṇīdevī’s palace was painted with lotus rhizomes and flowering creepers (*phulla-vallī-vara-puppha-jāi-ulloya-chittaya-tale*)⁷. At another place⁸ very interesting details of the construction of a picture gallery are given. Malladinna, the crown prince of Mithilā, ordered the erection of a picture gallery (*chitta-sabhā*) at the royal amusement park. He entrusted the work of painting to a painters’ guild (*chittagāraseṇim*) and asked its members to paint the gallery in such a way that the forms (*rūvehi*) should be frankly sensuous. The painters taking their brushes (*tūliāo*) and colours (*vaṇṇae*) proceeded to the proposed picture gallery. There they divided the wall-surface (*bhūmibhāge*) and prepared the ground (*bhūmi sajjei*). One of the master painters was so gifted that he could paint complete figures of men and animals even if he had only their partial view. This rare gift nearly ended in a tragedy. The painter once had the glimpse of the toes of Princess Malli protruding from behind the curtain and was able to paint her full portrait. The crown prince doubting the chastity of his sister banished him from his kingdom.