The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c9.42.3

v1.c9.42.3

but it includes leaves and flowers of several kinds, as a tiger, an animal of rare occurrence in Orissan sculptures. These are all employed for both horizontal and vertical bands, and used principally round door-ways and niches. No. 15, from the Paraśurāmeśvara temple belongs to this class, but the foliage is altogether different, and it is intended only for vertical mouldings. It may well pass for a scroll under a Roman frieze. No. 24 from Mukteśvara does not show the pothos, nor make a creeper twine into loops, but masses the foliage in a rich, florid style. Its lancet crest bears on its face an emaciated hermit and his disciple, engaged in a game of chess over a folding table. The scroll is of rare occurrence, and is never carried to any great length, occurring only on brackets, capitals, of pilasters, and tops of niches, supplying in the last position the place of a dripstone moulding. No. 19, from the Great Tower is a variety of this style, and on its crest is seen a monkey engagd in picking out lice from the head of a neighbour. In No. 23 from the Rājarāni temple the scroll is formed of a creeper issuing from the tail of a peacock. The foliage is entirely fanciful, but most elaborately and richly executed. Round a lattice frame in the Mukteśvara porch, No. 28, the foliage of the creeper is reduced to a minimum, and two stalks from opposite sides are made to form loops wherein gambol a number [47] of monkeys and crocodiles in great delight.