A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c9.s2.54

c9.s2.54

² A brilliant lecture by M. A. Foucher, entitled *La Porte orientale du Stûpa de Sânchi* (Moulage du Musée Guimet), Paris, Leroux, 1910, throws much light on the meaning of the sculptures, and is illustrated from the new photographs. The right or northern pier of the southern gate depicts six of the Buddhist heavens, and other sections represent the leading incidents of Buddha’s life, told by ingenious symbolical contrivances, the effigy of the Master being rigorously excluded. The most surprising discovery made by M. Foucher is that incidents in the history or legend of Asoka are shown on both the southern and eastern gates (*op. cit.*, pp. 76, 77).