A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c13.8

c13.8

The artists undertake to reproduce literally in stone or bronze the descriptions of the deities as given in the books, with little regard to aesthetic considerations, and no form is regarded as too monstrous for plastic representation. The result too often is merely grotesque and absurd, when looked at by anybody who is not steeped in the notions of Hindu symbolism, but occasionally is horrible. Additional limbs and heads are put on as prescribed, whether or not they disturb the balance of the composition or excite a feeling of disgust at monstrous growths which call loudly for amputation. Such forms, of course, have their meaning for the Hindu or Mahāyānist Buddhist instructed in the mysteries of his faith, and may be used by him as aids to devotion, but from the artistic point of view they are, as stated in the Introduction, in my judgement, indefensible.