Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c9.58

c9.58

The two panels in the next illustration show the same superlative sense of beauty and power of grouping figures together to express varying feeling and emotions. The upper one represents Mâya, the mother of Buddha, seated on her car of state and hastening to the Lumbini Garden, where, as she has learnt in a dream, her son who was to be the salvation of the world, should be born. The male attendants surround the car in zealous care of their royal mistress, clearing the path in front of any untoward or unseemly thing, and holding the insignia of royalty proudly over her, while the ladies in her train follow behind in lively converse on the coming event. The feelings of queenly and womanly dignity in Mâya and the eager expectancy in the throng of her attendants, are perfectly given.