Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c77.214

v2.c77.214

**Aspects of Poetry in terms of Pictures.**—Dr. Raghavan has contributed a very nice exposition of subject in his own way—vide ‘Some Sanskrit Texts on Painting’ J. O. R. Madras Vol. XI 1934 and I am taking liberty to reproduce some portions here of that article to convey a fuller picture of this vital side of pictorial art: “Vāmana, among other Alaṅkārikas, was a keen student of pictures and his Kāvyālamkāra-sūtras and Vṛtti describe some aspects of property in terms of picture. With much insight, Vāmana says that the essence of poetry is style (रीतिरात्मा काव्यस्य) and compares this Rīti to the linear beauty, the lines of a picture.—एतासु तिसृषु रेखास्विव चित्रं काव्यं प्रतिष्ठितम्. As style is the soul of poetry so are lines that of picture. On seeing this remark of Vāmana we are reminded of the Viṣṇudharmottara which says that the masters praise the lines.