A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c10.s2.49

c10.s2.49

The story of the ‘Great Renunciation’ of domestic joys and the splendours of princely life by the young Gautama or Siddhārtha when he went forth from his father’s palace to take up the career of an ascetic, as told in both the books and the sculptures, comprises many incidents, which were treated in art with much freedom and variety of detail. Some aspects of the artistic presentation will be discussed in Chapter XI. Here I select for reproduction a rare representation of the groom Chandaka leading out the horse Kanthaka ready saddled for his master’s use (Fig. 74). The modelling of the horse is better than that of the animal in Indian sculpture generally, which often fails with the horse, while almost always successful with the elephant. This minor incident is intended to serve as a symbol of the whole story. Another rendering, a relief in the Lahore Museum (No. 122), is shown in Fig. 75. The earth-spirits holding up the feet of the horse, who often appear, are wanting in this case.