Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 186

153
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(AUGEST, 1931
MISCELLANEA MUSSELL MAN.
| book above indicated, p. 319. This heavily docu. The mistakes about the term Musuiman, the mented book, really a history of the founding of the Perso-Urdu plural of Muslim, ara, as has been State of Texas as one of the largest of the United frequently noticed in this Journal, innumerable. States, is thoroughly Amorican and like no other Here is a new one from an American book, The historical work that I have over read. The letter Raren, a Biography of Sam Houston by Marquis quoted conforms to its general style. In it Houston James, Indianopolis, 1929. Sam Houston (pro.
writes: "He ** says Lamer (then President nounced Hewston in Texas and Howston in New
of the Republic of Texas] is & Mussell man and York) was the hero of the great fight with the
Burnett (another provincial Texan) ahog thief. Mexicans in 1826, which ended in the erection of the Republic of Texas, finally a..nexed by the
Then Esau's (Houston's negro servant) convive Onited States. In the Houston Public Library
and guests disturb the neighbourhood with burste there is a letter by Houston himself, dated 18 Decem.
of cachination." her 1842, which is quoted by Marquis James in the
R. C. TEMPLE.
BOOK-NOTICES. AJANTA: The Colour and Monochrome Reproduc munificence of His Exalted Highness and the active
tions of the Ajanta Frescoes based on Photo encouragement of his able finance minister, Sir graphy, with an Explanatory Text by G. Yazdani, Akbar Hydari. The difficulties of the task were M.A., and an Introduction by Laurence Binyon. great. Artificial lighting had first of all to be Part I: Text, 121 x 10 in., pp. 55, with map, Album installed, when the superb colouring at last became containing 40 folio plates, of which 16 are colour. clearly visible; but many of the frescoes had become ed and 24 in monochrome. Published under the badly damaged, and others had to be cleared of the special authority of H. E. H. the Nizam of ill offects of previous injudicious handling. In fact Hyderabad. Oxford University Press, 1930. the work is a great achievement for Mr. Yazdani
Of the many wonders of India perhaps the greatest and his coadjutors. The reproductions are extraare the caves hown in the solid rock of picturesque ordinarily succesful, as we see from this first album, hill sides, dating from the third century B.C. on. which contains 24 plates in monochrome and 16 wards. Many of these are marvels from their great in colour. Besides these magnificent plates, there size and wealth of sculptural detail in their porches, is a volume of text (with a charming introduction by pillars, verandahs and ornamental friezes; but the Mr. L. Binyon) describing and interpreting the series of 29 caves at Ajanta are specially cebrated scones depicted, and reflecting the close and sympa. for their painted frescoes--the largest collec.ion of thetic study which Mr. Yazdani has so long devoted Buddhist paintings known.
to the frescoes. Throe previous attempts had been made to copy It is in the north-west corner of H. E. H. the the frescoes since they were discovered early in the Nizam's Dominions, where the Indhyadri hills form nineteenth century. Major Gill worked there for some ghats leading down from the Deccan plateau to the twonty years; but the results of his labour were de. valley of the Tapti, that the rock.cut caves of stroyed in the fire at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in Ajanta stand in a long semicircle in the steep hill. 1866. Again, in 1872 Mr. Griffiths, Principal of the face. Here in these lonely shrines, as in the sculp. Bombay School of Art, commenced to make copies, tured marbles of Amaravati, we see the further with the assistance of his pupils, and worked for many flowering of purely Indian art in direct line of inherit. years. Unfortunately a great deal of his work was also ance from the naturalism of Bharhut and Sanchi. burnt, but he published his well known work, The Most remarkable is the unity of purpose in all these Paintings in the Buddhist Caves at Ajanta, in 1896 monuments of devotion to the Buddha. The his. from the copies saved. Next. Lady Herringham, tory of tho caves covers some 650 years. The with a band of Indian artists, took up the task Buddha romains human and great in his charity and during the years 1909-11, and in 1915 published a solf-sacrifice throughout the stories of his lives as portfolio of plates, mostly coloured, which gave the told in the Jatakas, depicted at Ajanta even as they public a clearer idea of the wonders of the frescoes. aro at Bharhut and Sanchi. These were tales, Though most useful for comparison, and perhaps simply told for the people, of tho perfections of preserving some details that have since been lost, Buddhahood, which Sâkya Muni had attained these necessarily lack the accuracy ensured by through his compassion for all sorrow and suffering photographic reproduction possessed by the present during both his animal and human rebirths. We splendid series of plates. To preserve what remains find them expressed with the same simplicity by the of those frescoes for future generations, H. E. H. ancient artists of Ajanta in crowded soones of move. the Nizam authorized nis Archäological Departm ent and vitality, in which appear kings and cour mont to have a complete photographic record pre tiers, queens and princesos, tho populace, birds and pared. The world of art is doeply indebted to the animale, troes, plants and flowors, and architectural