Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c38.41

c38.41

PLATE XIV. PAINTING.
1. Two pages of a craftsman’s notebook (*padimakada poṭa*), probably of early nineteenth century date. The leaves of Dutch, the covers of Sinhalese paper. The two pages shown contain an outline drawing of a *haṃsa paṭṭuva* (also in Fig. 20), and a half-finished drawing of a *haṃsa*, with elaborate foliaceous background. Both are brush drawings. The book was obtained from D. S. Muhandiram of Embekke. The other subjects drawn in the book are elephants (five), *haṃsa* (two others), *haṃsa paṭṭuva* (two others with three and four *haṃsayō* respectively), lion; also a half-finished *lanu-geṭa* and *pañca-nāri-geṭa* designs. Author’s collection.
2. Representation of *Māra Yuddhaya*, from roof of Dambulla (Dambulu) rock Vihāra.
3. Representations of the Nine Planets, from painted timber roof of Keḷaniya Vihāra.
4. ‘Tree of life’ or *kalpa druma* (?) from the same. Both the tree and the ‘garland’ (*mālaya*) frame recall the palampore designs of S. India.
5. *Picca mala* ornament framing an image in relief, Keḷaniya Vihāra. Note also the chevron ornament of dress.
7. Birds and floral ornament, Keḷaniya Vihāra.
8. Trees, from wall at Danagirigala Vihāra. Blank spaces in the lower part were filled in the original, but too much damaged to copy. Small spaces are filled with lotus rosettes in a characteristic manner. The small tree on the right is a plantain, the large symmetrical tree is *na* (*Mesua ferrea*), the other large tree *sapu* (*Michelia champaca*).