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FARTHER-EYE IN THE EAST INDIAN AND NEPALESE PAINTINGS 439
of the Apabhramsa painting. These are clear evidence to prove extension of the Apabhramsa painting in E. India.
We might refer to the copper plate from W. Sundarban (W. Bengal) dated in saka 1118 (or 1196 A.D.) and which bears an engraving of Visņu and a devotee. The figures have all the qualitis of a line drawing and therefore be helpful to us in determining certain characteristics of the local idioms in painting as distinguished from the classical style used in the main panels of the Pala illustrations. With this etching and the minor panels in the illustrated texts (see below we are able to determine extension of the Apabhramsa traditions in E. India as a side movement to the Ajantasque treatments, preserved in the high Pala style.
The figure showing Visņu, maintains the graceful flex of the Pala tradition yet treatment of the face in one and one quarter (sava caşma) profile can be a change towards the Apabhramsa, which can also be seen in the pointed nose and chin, the elongated and gaping eyes as well as the suggestive use of the ferther eye. The eye type is still more visibly shown in the case of the devotee.
Similarly, it is worth noticing that the treatments are generally, very cursory and stylization can be seen in the thin and pointed fingers or the toes. The linear treatments again point to the mediaeval expressions in E. Indian painting in this late period.
1.
2.
Devaprasad Ghosh, "A Copper-Plate Engraving", Journal of the Indian Society of Oriental Art, December 1934, Vol. II, No. 2, pp. 127-129 and the text plate.
Ibid., p. 128, where this figure has been identified with Garuda. However, the paper does not show any of the characteristics of Garuḍa; namely the bird face, wings and the serpents entwined at his neck wrist
etc.
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