The Beginnings of Buddhist Art and Other Essays in Indian and Central-Asian Archaeology c11.s1.109

c11.s1.109

1. (The drawing of L., no. 212, pl. CXXI, is almost entirely missing). Under a maṇḍapa Maitrakanyaka, seated on the ground with his hands joined, is offering to his mother a purse, which he has just placed before her upon a tray adorned with flowers (pl. XLI, 2). The bystanders are numerous : behind the mother are seven women, standing or crouching; behind the son may be counted five of his companions. Quite at the left a house is seen in outline. We reproduce in plate XLI, 2 only the central group, which alone is of importance for the identification of the scene. It will be observed that the left elbow of the mother is as though the joint were twisted : let us not hasten to cry out that this is a mistake on the part of the sculptor, or even a deformity, at least according to the native taste : the skilfully dislocated arms of the Javanese dancing-girls bend no otherwise in this position.