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Indian Painting. Ajanta (2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D) Padmapani Avilokitesvara Ajanta, Cave no-1, 5th century A.D, Gupta Period. Padmapani Avilokitesvara Ajanta, Cave no-1. Introduction: The Ajanta caves are situated in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
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Indian Painting Ajanta (2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D) Padmapani Avilokitesvara Ajanta, Cave no-1, 5th century A.D, Gupta Period.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Introduction: • The Ajanta caves are situated in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. • A total of about 30 caves are situated at Ajanta. Paintings and sculptures were made in these caves by the Buddhists from 2nd century B.C. to 7th century A.D.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The monastery, one of the oldest in the world, first reveals the Hinayana period (200 B.C. to 200 A.D), where Buddha is represented only by symbols, or in his supposed previous existence as related in the Jataka stories. We see this chiefly in the Chaitya (place of worship) of cave no.10 (2nd century B.C) and cave no.9 (1st century B.C). • In order to proclaim the message of the Buddha, the monks employed artists who turned the stone wall into picture book of his life and teaching.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Representations from the Jataka tales illustrate his intelligence, noble character, selfless service and compassion by means of legends from his previous births. • Though the pictures depict stories related to the Buddha, the artists portrayed at the same time the costumes and customs of their own epoch, especially the extravagance of the court life. • Nor did they overlook life’s comedy and tragedy, its pathos and humour.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Padmapani Avilokitesvara • The Avilokitesvara Padmapani in cave no. 1, 5th century A.D, Gupta Period, is unanimously considered as the master piece of Indian art. • The Avilokitesvara called Padmapani because of the blue lotus in the right hand dominates the composition by his colossal size.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The other figures seem to revolve around him. • He stands languidly (lack of vigor or energy) in the tribhanga pose of sculpture. • The Buddha to-be wears a few rich pieces of jewellery, such as an elaborate pointed crown, and a sacred coed (indicating his high cast) which is delicately composed of many strands of small pearls.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The elegant features, high forehead and down cast eyes produce an impression of dignity and serene meditation. • The highlights on cheek, nose and chin, as well as on the arms and chest, together with warm colors and inward shading of the outline, give fullness to his appearance. • The scantily dress may perhaps suggest an ascetic life, but at Ajanta kings generally have no upper garment.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The cloth round the loins (lower part of the body on both sides below the waist and above the legs) resembles a dhoti of stripped silk worn in an ascetic style. • His expression of remote calm is enhanced by the figures, which crowd in form all directions and establish him as an island of spiritual disengagement, unmoved and inattentive to the forces and sounds of Maya, which engulf him.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The absence of shadows suggests an unworldly light appropriate not only to the subject but also to its location, deep within the rock. • The light is present in all paintings at Ajanta, and is partly the result of the techniques used by the artists.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • This painting can be included in the category of ‘classical’ in a qualitative sense. • The movement of line is sure and inevitable, without trick or cliché. • The illusion of warm, rounded flesh is conveyed by unobtrusive modeling and shading. The color remains fresh even now.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Stylistic features: • A higher degree of craftsmanship, incorporating all the rules lay down by ancient Indian treatises on painting and aesthetics, marks the execution of these religious themes. • One finds here, for instance, the six limbs of painting as enumerated in Vishnudharmothara (a text on aesthetics).
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Male and female figures confirm to the traditional standards of beauty, with her arched eyebrows, long almond-shaped eyes, straight noses, full lips and slightly pointed chins. • Minute changes in the poses, gestures and direction of the faces create variety, so that, surprisingly, there is neither obviousness nor repetitiveness.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • The artists of Ajanta used perspective in a different way. A kind of multiple perspective has been introduced where different objects are perceived as if they were seen from within the panel. • With only six pigments in his hand, the Ajanta artist created the vocabulary of the entire color-range, each speaking its own language and giving meanings to others. Far from dramatizing by climaxing color-contrasts, he took choice to the more refined expression of tonalities.
Padmapani AvilokitesvaraAjanta, Cave no-1 • Here the relationship of proportion is relative, not based on empiric knowledge but depend on emotional importance, spiritual reality-each different situation demanding a new evaluation.
