Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c78.s2.17

v2.c78.s2.17

As regards perspective and landscape a very beautiful illustration will be found in Abhi S. Act VI, (7), where Duṣyaṇtā describing a grand scenery introduces the landscape as background in the portrait, hh visualises of Sakuntalā. “Natural scenes were favourite themes with the artists of India. Animal painting was also quite common. The realistic pictures of elephants painted on the walls of mansions in Ayodhyā are an example of it. In the Vikramorvaśīya we have a reference to a monkey in a picture. This animal was a favourite subject of study at the time and the monkeys of Ajaṇṭā given such a prominence by Dr. Vincent Smith in his History of India are sufficient evidence for it. Of conventional pictures the Saṅkha and Padma painted near the doorway of the Yakṣa's mansion are examples".