Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c74.s8.27

v2.c74.s8.27

We find an excessive fondness on the part of the Hindu artists for displaying ornaments on the images of gods and goddesses from the very early times. Practically all parts of body had their various appropriate ornaments. This excessive display according to some modern critics like Grundwedel has hindered very considerably the development of the human figure. But the case is not so, because we never aimed at the development of the figure so much as at the development of the symbolism behind it. The ornaments in which the Indian images are found (or said to be) decorated can be classified as per the following tabulation :