History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c74.t8.18

v5.c74.t8.18

¹⁶³⁵ Persons not familiar with ancient images or statues in stone might think that an image or statue is naked (digvāsāḥ) when as a matter of fact the sculpture itself shows that the image wears a *dhotī* and waist band and yet its private parts are shown as visible, probably because it was the intention of the sculptor to indicate that the garment was made of the finest texture and was transparent. For example, in 'History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon' by Vincent Smith, there is a figure of a Bodhisattva (on p. 143 No. 94) which is clearly draped in a dhotī and waistband and the private parts of which are yet visible. The Viṣṇu image from Mathurā (Plate VI) in a paper on Gupta Art in Journal of U. P Historical Society, vol. 18 pp 101-134 shows similar characteristics