Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c9.s7.t2: List of Mixed Colours in the Silparatna

Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c9.s7.t2

Language: English

List of Mixed Colours in the Silparatna

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(1) White mixed with red yields a fair colour (*gaurachchhavi*).

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(2) White, lampblack and yellow mixed in equal proportion yield a speckled shade (*sāra*).

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(3) White and lampblack mixed in equal proportion yield an elephant grey.

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(4) Red and yellow mixed in equal proportion yield the shade of the *bakula* fruit or flame.

(5) Red with yellow in proportion of two to one yields a deep red (*atiraktaka*).
(6) Yellow mixed with white in proportion of two to one yields a tawny colour (*piṅgala*).
(7) The body colour is obtained by the following admixtures :—
(i) yellow mixed with lampblack in proportion of two to one;
(ii) lampblack and yellow in equal proportion.
(8) Orpiment mixed with deep brown yields the shade of a parrot's feather.
(9) Lac-dye mixed with vermilion yields deep red.
(10) Lampblack mixed with lac-dye yields the deep purple of the *Jambū* fruit.
(11) Lac-dye, *Jātiliṅga*, white and vermilion mixed in equal proportion yield the body colour of the members of higher castes.
(12) Lampblack mixed with indigo yields the shade for hair.

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Muni Puṇyavijayajī has collected several lists of mixed colours from various manuscripts. The inclusion of zinc-white, *peorī*, verdigris, etc., in those lists however proves that these lists deal with the colours employed in the illustrated Western Indian manuscripts of the paper period, roughly from the 15th to 18th century.

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I. In the first list obtained by Muni Puṇyavijayajī⁴⁵ from Mr. Maṇilāl Paṇḍyā of Pāṭan, the proportionate weights of the different constituent colours in mixed colours are given. The following are the descriptions of the mixed colours given in this list:—
(1) The admixture of zinc-white 4 *ṭak*, *peorī* 1 *ṭa*., and red lead 1½ *ṭa*., yields fair body colour,
(2) The admixture of red lead 4 *ṭ*. and indigo 1 *ṭ*. yields the shade of the date palm (*khārika*).
(3) The admixture of orpiment 1 *ṭ*. and indigo ½ *ṭ*., yields yellowish blue shade.
(4) Zinc-white 1 *ṭ*., and lac-dye 1½ *ṭ*., yield a deep rose (*gulālī*).
(5) The admixture of zinc-white 1 *ṭ*. and indigo 1 *ṭ*., yields a sky blue.
(6) The admixture of red lead 1 *ṭ*. and *peorī* ½ *ṭ*., gives orange colour.

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II. List of mixed colours obtained from the folio of an old manuscript in the possession of Mr. Maṇilāl Lakshmīchand Pāṇḍe, an expert Jain sculptor.⁴⁵
(1) See No. (1) in list I.
(2) Zinc-white 4 *ṭ*. and indigo (*pothīgalī*) 1 *ṭ*., yield date palm shade.
(3) Orange yellow. See No. (6) list I.
(4) Yellowish blue. See No. (3) list I.
(5) Deep rose. See No. (4) list I.
(6) *Peorī* and indigo one *ṭ*., each, yield betel-leaf green.
(7) Sky blue. See No. (5) list I. (8-9) Zinc-white and red lead, one *ṭak*, each, yield wheat colour. Red lead and *pothī*-red one *ṭ*., each, and four *ṭ*. zinc-white, yield the same shade.

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⁴⁵ Jaina-chitra Kalpadruma, I, p. 47, fn. 63.

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⁴⁵ Ib., pp. 119-120.

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(10) Verdigris and peoṛī, one *t.* each, yield a parrot feather green (*sūyāpaṅkha*).
(11) Pure (*amlasār*) sulphur 4 *t.*, indigo 2 *t.* yield sky blue.
(12) Cinnabar 1 *t.*, indigo 2 *t.*, pothī-red one *rattī*, and zinc-white one *t.*, yield shade of brinjal.
(13) Zinc-white 4 *t.*, and peoṛī 2 *t.*, yield pale yellow (*pāṇḍura*).
(14) Indigo 1 *t.*, peoṛī 2 *t.*, lac-dye, black ink and red lead three drops each yield mango green (*āmbarāṅga*).
(15) Lampblack (*syāhī*) and pothī-red one *t.*, each yield a musk shade.
(16) Red lead 4 *t.*, and indigo 3 *t.*, yield *khākī* colour.
(17) Zinc-white 4 *t.* and mango green 1 *t.*, yield *argajā* (muddy brown) colour.
(18) Peoṛī and pothī two *t.*, each, yield *chokhā* (?) colour.
(19) Zinc-white 3 *t.* and peoṛī 1 *t.*, mixed with wheat brown, yield the shade of wood. (20-21) Zinc-white, red lead or red ochre and zinc-white, yield the body colour of the Mughals (*mughlīraṅg*).
(22) Zinc-white and peoṛī yield fair body colour.
(23) Red lead and orpiment yield wheat colour.
(24) Peoṛī and indigo yield yellowish blue.
(25) Orpiment and indigo yield mango-leaf green.
(26) Zinc-white and indigo yield sky colour.
(27) Zinc-white, peoṛī and red ochre, yield the colour of matted locks (*jaṭā*).
(28) Red lead and peoṛī yield the colour of lion.
(29) Zinc-white, indigo and red lead, yield *abjī* colour. (30-31) Zinc-white, orpiment and indigo yield elephant gray. Zinc-white, red lead and orpiment also yield the same shade.
(32) Indigo, lampblack, red lead and orpiment, yield the shade of yellow peoṛī.

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III. This list was obtained from the folio of a manuscript in the collection of Mr. Govardhandās Lakshmī Shankar Trivedi.

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(1) Mountain gray. Obtained from misī (?) and vānī (?)
(2) Ash grey (*bhabhūtīno raṅg*) is obtained by the admixture of indigo, chalk and a little quantity of lac-dye.
(3) The colour of cloud (*meghvarṇa*) is obtained by the admixture of indigo and chalk.
(4) Purple (*vēgaṇīo raṅg*) is obtained from indigo and lac-dye.
(5) Smoke colour (*dhumrāno raṅg*) is obtained from the admixture of a little indigo and lac-dye and chalk.
(6) Pistachio green (*pistāno raṅg*) is obtained from chalk, red lead and a little lac-dye.
(7) Fair body colour is obtained from the admixture of chalk, red lead and lac-dye.
(8) Light mountain gray (*dhuṅdhalo pahāṛī*) is obtained from the admixture of a little indigo and lac-dye and chalk.

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Fig. 155

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(9) Wheat colour is obtained from orpiment, red lead and chalk.

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(10) Deep purple (*kālorīganio*) is obtained from the admixture of indigo in sufficient quantity and a little lac-dye.

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(11) The colour of blue *chāsa* is obtained from the *ṭikoḍī* and verdigris.

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(12) Body-colour of a woman is obtained from orpiment and zinc-white.

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(13) Blue (*nīlo-raṅg*) is obtained from indigo and orpiment.

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(14) Rose colour (*gulābī raṅg*) is obtained from zinc-white and lac-dye.

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(15) Deep-blue (*gohīro nīlo*) is obtained from the *ṭikoḍī* and indigo.

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In the above list the colours should be mixed in different proportions in accordance with the experience of the artist⁴⁶.

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⁴⁶ Jaina-chitra Kalpadruma., p. 120.

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IV. This list was obtained by Mr. Sarabhai Nawab from some paper manuscript.

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(1) Sky colour (*āsmānīraṅg*) obtained from zinc-white and indigo.

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(2) Fair colour (*goro-raṅg*) obtained from zinc-white and red lead.

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(3) Blue colour (*nīlo-raṅg*) obtained from the *peoṛī* and indigo.

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(4) Purple (*vaīgaṇio raṅg*) obtained from cinnabar (*hiṅgola*) and indigo.

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(5) Rose colour (*gulābī raṅg*) obtained from zinc-white and lac-dye (*alto*).

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(6) Blue obtained from verdigris and *peoṛī*.

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(7) *Zaharī* obtained from verdigris and indigo.

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(8) Elephant grey obtained from lampblack and zinc-white.

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(9) Orpiment and indigo yield green.

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(10) *Hurmuzī* earth (*hirmach*) and indigo yield deep purple (*bhukharo*).

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(11) Lac-dye (*ālatā*) and red lead yield the shade of henna.

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(12) Zinc-white, *peoṛī* and cinnabar yield fair colour.

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(13) Cinnabar and *peoṛī* yield saffron colour (*kesario raṅg*).

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(14) Indigo, lac-dye and zinc-white yield the shade of *sosan* flower.

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(15) Red lead, *peoṛī* and zinc-white yield wheat colour.

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(16) Cinnabar and zinc-white yield the shade of lac-dye (*mahāvarṇo*).

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(17) Cinnabar, zinc-white and lamp-black yield a dark body colour (*sāmalo raṅg*).

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V. This list of mixed colours was obtained by Mr. Sarabhai Nawab from another manuscript. It repeats much of the information already given in other lists.

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(1) Parrot feather green. *See list II, No. (10).*

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(2) Pure orpiment and indigo yield a deep blue.

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(3) Sky blue. *See No. I, (5).*

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(4) Cinnabar and zinc-white yield fair colour.

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(5) Rose colour is obtained from zinc-white and *pothī-red*.

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(6) The colour of the sky (*ākāsī raṅg*) is obtained from lamp-black and zinc-white.

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(7) *Peoṛī* and red lead yield very fair colour.

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(8) Golden colour (sonāno rang) is obtained from orpiment, zinc-white and red lead.

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(9) The hue of shellac (lākhī rang) is produced from lac-dye, cinnabar and red ochre.

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After enumerating various mixed colours, the list gives a few instructions for applying colours. Thus it ordains that where only verdigris is used some sugar should be mixed with it (ekato janghāl dījii tyāre sākar nāshihi). A beautiful blue (abjā) could be obtained from zinc-white and ultramarine (lājhava rang).