Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c78.s2.124

v2.c78.s2.124

In the end a third current of pictorial tradition may also be touched just to point out universal cultivation of this art and its appeal thereof 'चित्रं हि सर्वशिल्पानां मुखं लोकस्य च प्रियम्' . It is the Indian pictorial art as developed in *Book-Illustrations*. Its vogue though quiet common in other parts of India, Western India, however, may be credited to have taken higher strides in this direction as per the finds in our collections, a reference to one of these (cf. Illustrated Jain Manuscripts) has already been made. 'Gujarat possesses a large numer of illustrated manuscripts mostly Jain which are preserved in the bhandāras at Ahmedabad, Patan and other places. The pictures found in these works appear to be the outcome of a special technique which obtained in Gujarat long before the advent of Mughals. The examples reproduced in the works of Dr. Coomarswamy and in the copiously illustrated volume of the *Jainachitrakalpadruma* furnish ample evidence of the existence of such a school'. Hirānanda Sāstri's monograph 'Indian Pictorial Art as Developed in Book-Illustrations' has brought out all these evidences to prove this exuberance in the development of India Painting and the reader is referred to glance at this work for necessary and interesting information.