Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c32.28

c32.28

∗ ‘Buddhist Art in India,’ p. 2. † Riegl, ‘Stilfragen,’ Figs. 50, 76. ‡ Cunningham, ‘Bharhut Stupa,’ Pl. XL. § Grünwedel (p. 18) regards the mythical animals in Indian art as borrowings from Western Asia or Greece; and then proceeds to explain the success with which they were used, by supposing that indigenous types of the same character already existed. No doubt they did; and if so, what need to postulate a borrowing? The sphinxes, griffins, chimaeras, and sirens, etc., in Greek art were as much Oriental in origin as the lotus buds and rosettes and palmettes.