Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v2.c8.s21.49

v2.c8.s21.49

Beside the Nāga king are two ladies, probably his wife Vimalā, and daughter, Irandatī, but they have no hood to signify their Nāga origin. The painter has drawn both these figures with great feeling and skill. Their faces are sweet, and as they look up at the face of the divine minister, their eyes seem to glisten with the light of hope. They have folded their arms and joined their hands in an attitude of extreme humility. In this pose the charm of the soft tapering fingers with beautiful nails, the lovely contours of the bust, and the exquisite curve of a thin waist have been shown to advantage. The painter’s sense of colour must also be admired. The brown complexions of the two ladies almost glow with the flush of youth and beauty against a dark-green background.