Ajanta: The Colour and Monochrome Reproductions of the Ajanta Frescoes Based on Photography v3.c12.s6.7

v3.c12.s6.7

In this fresco the aesthetic taste of the painter has induced him to deviate from the conventional features of the Buddha, that is, thick lips and nose and an almost roundish face, and replace them by a thin nose with short mouth and full lips and an oval face. The effect of the change is very happy, and the figure has become more vivid than in the case of the ordinary paintings of the Buddha at Ajanta. The artist has also made a slight change in the garment of the Buddha, and instead of covering the upper part of his body with a sheet or a large scarf, has dressed him in a full-sleeved robe which is trimmed at the neck with a black collar. This simple alteration has enhanced the artistic effect considerably.