Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v2.c8.s1: Chapter I
Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v2.c8.s1
- Language
- English
Chapter I
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The extent and military force of the empire in the age of the Antonines.
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In the second century of the Christian era, the empire of Rome comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilized portion of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by ancient renown and disciplined valour. The gentle but powerful influence of laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantages of wealth and luxury. The image of a free constitution was preserved with decent reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of government. During a happy period of more than fourscore years, the public administration was conducted by the virtue and abilities of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, and the two Antonines. It is the design of this, and of the two succeeding chapters, to describe the prosperous condition of their empire; and afterwards, from the death of Marcus Antoninus, to deduce the most important circumstances of its decline and fall; a revolution which will ever be remembered, and is still felt by the nations of the earth.
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The principal conquests of the Romans were achieved under the republic; and the emperors, for the most part, were satisfied with preserving those dominions which had been acquired by the policy of the senate, the active emulation of the consuls, and the martial enthusiasm of the people. The seven first centuries were filled with a rapid succession of triumphs; but it was reserved for Augustus to relinquish the ambitious design of subduing the whole earth, and to introduce a spirit of moderation into the public councils. Inclined to peace by his temper and situation, it was easy for him to discover that Rome, in her present exalted situation, had much less to hope than to fear from the chance of arms; and that, in the prosecution of remote wars, the undertaking became every day more difficult, the event more doubtful, and the possession more precarious, and less beneficial. The experience of Augustus added weight to these salutary reflections, and effectually convinced him that, by the prudent vigour of his counsels, those boundaries which nature seemed to have placed as permanent bulwarks to the empire, might be defended by the smallest force, and would be the most secure from the attacks of the barbarians. Instead of exposing his person and his legions to the arrows of the Parthians, he obtained, by honour-able treaty, the restitution of the standards and prisoners which had been taken in the defeat of Crassus.
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Plates I-VI
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TO appreciate the romantic beauty of the valley where these Buddhist shrines are hewn in solid rock, the visitor must go to Ajanta immediately after the rains, when the waterfall presents a glorious spectacle, and the Waghora river attains a breadth and volume which can never be imagined in summer (*Frontispiece* and Plate II). The rich variety of trees and shrubs with their magnificent foliage and flowers adds to the charm of the landscape, and the panorama might well inspire spiritual thought and artistic expression now, as it did in the Buddhist fifteen hundred years ago.
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Cave II, which forms the subject of this volume, is a *vihāra* (monastery) like Cave I, and although it is a little smaller and not so magnificent in style as the latter, it shows a richness of imagination and a love for decorative detail which are very characteristic of Indian art, and which are not so evident in the paintings of Cave I. The plans of both the *vihāras* are similar (Plate I), but the veranda of Cave II is rather narrow, having a width of 7 ft. 9 in. against a length of 46 ft. 3 in. The pillars, on the other hand, are lavishly carved, and their design is somewhat different from that of the pillars in Cave I. They are circular in form, and slightly decreasing in girth towards the top, where they are surmounted by three lotus flowers in succession, the middle one being full-blown and bell-shaped. The surface of the pillars is fluted, and the flutes being continued to the top appear like petals drooping from a flower, the effect being most artistic (Plate III). At the top of the pillars are thin abaci, and above them is an architrave which projects nearly five feet towards the front of the *vihāra*. The appearance of the façade has been spoiled by the necessary insertion of masonry columns, which we had to build recently for the support of the architrave, because it had developed a large crack. There was originally, however, no carving in the form of a frieze on the façade of the *vihāra*, but the presence of square holes cut into the rock above the line of columns indicates provision for some kind of woodwork.
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The ceiling and walls of the veranda are beautifully painted, and, on account of ample daylight, colours can be studied accurately there. The artist will notice several tints of *terra verde*¹, and the freshness of the blues² despite the passage of time will surprise him. Some interesting technical details may be observed as well. For example, the high lights on the noses and chins of the dark brown figures are not produced by wiping out the colour, but by applying a light yellow tint over the brown. Again, below the eye-lids of some figures, blue streaks have been painted to represent shade, which serve their purpose extremely well. The effect of roundness is produced by deepening the colours along the outline and in some places perspective is gained by the insertion of dots. All of these particulars are noticed in detail in the descriptions of the frescoes which follow this chapter.
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¹ Finely powdered silicate containing iron.
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² Ultramarine obtained from lapis lazuli.
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The veranda has a chapel at each end, towards the right and left. The façades of these chapels are beautifully carved, and the figures of the *Nāga* kings with attendants, and of portly *Gaṇas* disclose fine workmanship (Plate IV). Each of these chapels has a cell at its back.
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The plan of the interior of the cave can be best explained with the help of Plate I. The hall is almost square, measuring 48 ft. 4 in. by 47 ft. 7 in., and its roof is supported by twelve massive pillars, which are elaborately carved (Plate V). There are corridors on all four sides of the hall and ten cells for the accommodation of the *Bhikshus*, three being attached to each of the right and left corridors, and two to each of the front and back ones.
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The shrine itself measures 14 ft. by 11 ft., and has a colossal figure of the Buddha posed in the *dharmacakra* or teaching attitude. The doorway of the shrine and antechamber are profusely carved, and the figure-sculpture shows much vivacity. The pillars of the antechamber are also exquisitely sculptured, although the figure-brackets springing from them appear to be freakish from an architectural point of view (Plate VI).
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On either side of the antechamber is a chapel, the front of which is adorned with delicately carved pillars and pilasters. The chapels contain figures of *Yakshas* designed with a feeling of reverence perhaps akin to that shown in the carving of the figure of the Buddha himself. In the right chapel are *Pāñcika* and his consort *Hāritī*, while the left has two male figures, one holding a mango and the other a purse. The majesty of these two figures is at once felt. They are attended by fly-whisk bearers and fat cherubs, the latter bringing offerings.
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The reader may gain an idea of the richness of the decoration of this *vihāra* from Plates V and VI, showing how Indian genius has run riot in the display of colour and form. The designs in general are highly artistic, and the thorough knowledge of the painter and the sculptor in matters of technical detail deserves the highest praise, but the lack of restraint and of nobility of thought cannot be ignored. The general impression is that of effervescence resulting from feebleness of spirit. It may be that the high ideals of self-control and breadth of vision which Buddhism had preached in earlier days were growing dim, and that the artist's mind was prepossessed with such outburst of emotion and exuberance of feeling as appear in the doctrines of later schools.
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The sculpture of this *vihāra* has a considerable number of figures with four hands, among which the several *Gaṇas* on the back row of the pillars¹ and an ogress attacking the Buddha in the chapel on the right of the antechamber are prominent. The presence of these figures indicates a comparatively later period for the age of the *vihāra*, which view is confirmed by the inscriptions painted in this cave. Mr. J. Allan, Keeper of Coins and Medals in the British Museum, has studied these inscriptions most ably, and according to him they belong to the period 500-550 A.D.² In Part I, I have stated that the fifth century is the probable date of the frescoes of Cave I, and although there is a resemblance in one or two frescoes of that cave to the style of some of the paintings of Cave II, yet the majority of those in the former cave are different in spirit and technique from those of Cave II. In the latter cave, the artist's For further information, *vide infra*, pp. 53-55.
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¹ One of these *Gaṇas* is reproduced in Plate XLIX *c*.
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² *Vide* Appendix.
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chief delight is in decoration. Whether he is depicting flowers or birds or animals or even human beings, his love of ornamentation is apparent. The beautiful lotus-flowers, the lovely geese, the richly caparisoned horses and elephants, and the charming jewellery, coiffures, and poses of the women, all show the painter’s extreme fondness for adornment. In general, however, the paintings of this cave have not the nobility of treatment which characterizes such a subject as ‘The Padmapāṇi’ or ‘The Bhikshu at a Palace Door’ in the frescoes of Cave I, and from this difference one may assign an interval of fifty years between the dates of the frescoes in the two caves.