Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c8.76

c8.76

In Indian art they take much the same place as Cellini’s work holds in the sculpture of the Italian Renaissance. But technically the two rails must be considered as painted *relievos* rather than true sculpture. The artists relied upon colour instead of alternation of light and shade to give emphasis and variety to the composition, and, now that the colour is entirely gone, the effect of the sculpture, when viewed at a short distance, is comparatively cold and lifeless, in spite of the prodigious amount of labour bestowed upon it.