Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c19.1

c19.1

OWING in a large measure to the activity of Kirti Śrī Rāja Simha, who was such an eager friend of religion and of art, we find preserved a sufficient amount of eighteenth century painting, to enable us to form an accurate idea of its scope and capacity and methods, in which we are aided by a study of the good work which can still be done by the hereditary painters when the opportunity is given them. The few really good painters, now living, are equal to any but the very best eighteenth century men, such as Silvatẹnna, who painted *jatakas* at Ridi Vihāra and at Degaldoruva. The eighteenth century work may be best studied in old and unrestored vihāras, such as Degaldoruva, Ridi Vihāra, Danagirigala, Doḍantale, and in the low country at Keḷaniya. Examples are also afforded by old painted furniture, like the book-box at Ridi Vihāra, and in the rare paper mss. of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries; but I do not know of any old paintings on cloth surviving.