Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c76.92

v2.c76.92

Śilparatna is a rare work on Indian art. It is divided into two parts, the first part consisting of 46 chapters, deals with the construction of houses, villages and other allied subjects (cf. Hindu Science of Architecture, where a detailed treatment of the textual matters is attempted), while the second part contains 35 chapters and treats of iconography and kindred topics. It is, however, very remarkable that this text treats painting—the Citra-lakṣaṇa in continuation to the secular art—the 46th (i.e. the last) chapter of the first part and not along with the religious art, the iconography. This shows the medieval tendency of the pictorial art with which this work must have been fully influenced. It was natural also as it was compiled from the early sources of Āgamas, Śilpa-texts in the later medieval period, by Śrikumāra, a Keralite, well versed in Śilpa-vidyā as is evident from the following verse of the text (cf. Chapt. I, 6) at the instance of Devanārāyaṇa of Travancore State who flourished in the later part of the 16th century A. D. and who was a great patron of learning and entertained in his court the famous Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa, a great poet and grammarian :