History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c20.s3.t3.10

v1.c20.s3.t3.10

Among the Purāṇas, Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa is valued as an authoritative work on the techniques of different aspects of the art of painting. To begin with, it gives a recipe for preparing a lepa or coating to smoothen the wall before painting a picture on it. It is said that three varieties of brickpowders should be mixed with a third proportion of it with clay. To this should be added fragrant gum-resin (guggula), bees wax (madhucchiṣṭam), honey (madhu), a type of grass (kuṇḍaraka), molasses (guḍam) and safflower (kusumbha) soaked in oil, in equal proportions. Powder of lime three-fourths burnt with bel fruit pulp and lampblack should be added. After adding one-fourth part of sand, the mixture should be soaked in water for a month to make it lubricous. With this paste a smooth and firm coat is applied on the wall (Vi Pu. III.40.1-10).