The Colas c35.s2.1

c35.s2.1

Cōḷa painting, like all other forms of Cōḷa art, was a continuation and development of Pallava-Pāṇḍya work in the field. Literary evidence on the extent and excellence of early Tamil murals is both authentic and extensive; but no specimens have survived, and we have no means of forming any close idea of the nature of the art as it was practised then. In fact paintings are delicate products of art and are the first to suffer by the action of time and weather, not to speak of chemical changes in rocks or in the materials used. Often excellent early paintings have been overlaid, as at Tanjore, by later work not so good. In the midst of many gaps and much uncertainty, there remains no doubt about the continuity of a painting tradition in the Tamil country.