The art and architecture of India - Buddhist, Hindu, Jain (Art Ebook)

250 THE GOLDEN AGE AND END OF BUDDHIST ART
organization without in any way losing the
sense of growth and proper articulation of the
plant structure. 18
Scarcely less important, but unfortunately
more damaged than the paintings of Cave I, are
the fragments of wall decoration surviving in
the porch of Cave XVII. This shrine bears an
inscription ofthe last quarter of the fifth century,
which may be assumed to correspond with the
period of the wall-paintings. One of the subjects
on the back wall of the verandah represents
Indra and his entourage of celestial musicians
flying to greet the Buddha at the time of his visit
to the Tushita Heaven [186]. In many ways this
beautiful detail bears comparison with the
sculpture of flying gandharvas at Gwalior [180].
The suggestion of endless, effortless flight is
imparted by the direction of the bent legs and by
the jewels sweeping backward over the breast of
the god, who is differentiated from his companions
by his light colouring and magnificent
crown. In addition to the noble beauty of the
god, one should note particularly the wonder-
fully animated figure of a flute-player at the
right, half turning to glance at Indra. Behind
Indra and his train are towering clouds, conventionalized
by striated curving lines of ultramarine
blue of varying thickness against a
nacreous white background. This detail illustrates
with what great breadth and sureness the
figures are drawn. Note how the individual
features, like the nose and eyes, appear to be
defined with a single sweep of the brush, the
thickness of the line providing a plastic reinforcement.
Although parts of the design may
now appear flat, it is apparent that originally
there was a suggestion of relief through shading
and highlights. In the figure of the dusky
apsaras at the right there are traces of the highlights
that originally gave saliency to the
features, as, for example, the sharp stroke of
light pigment on the nose.
Another part of the wall of the court in Cave
XVII illustrates a portion of the Visvantara
Jataka [187], in which the chief episode shows
the princely hero announcing to his wife the
187. Ajanta, Cave XVII,
wall-painting of Visvantara Jataka in porch