More Documents of Jaina and Gujarati Paintings

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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recently discovered. It is an incomplete manuscript of a work called Itihāsa-Samuccaya, which was profusely illustrated but unfortunately a number of folios are missing and only about twenty paintings, somewhat worn out, are preserved. The background in most cases is red no doubt, but not brick-red. It is more rosy and must have shown a bright rosy colour. A few miniatures from this newly discovered manuscript are illustrated here in figs. 28-29 from the collections of the Oriental Institute, Baroda.
Paintings of the Panca-tirthi scroll painted in Campakadurga or Cāmpāner in samvat 1490 (=1433 A. D.), first published, from Muni Punyavijaya collection, by N. C. Mehta and later again by Moti Chandra, 31 viewed in this context, deserve further attention of scholars. The lively figures of monkeys and the two groups of three figures each forming a musical party show that this art was not confined to set formulas of Kalpa-sūtra or Uttarādhyayana miniatures or to theological themes and usage. It was dynamic and not static, imaginative and creative, and represented life in various aspects. Fotunately some murals from residential buildings of Campakadurga have been recently discovered by the Department of Archaeology, M. S. University of Baroda. Though linear in conception and treatment this art had its own typical appeal and had become very popular. In the delineation of animals, birds, trees and flowers it had achieved great success as is suggested by the Cāmpāner scroll (Pañcatīrthi-pata and the Devakulapāțaka Supārsvanātha Caritra. The bright colours and the fine brush work of the Ujamphoi Kalpa-sutra of c. 1370 A. D. should also be noted.32 A paper manuscript of Kalpasūtra of the early fifteenth century (c. 1410 A. D.) in the collection of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, is in these best fourteenth century traditions.
This incomplete manuscript with only 19 paintings, of fine workmanship, has been preserved. The latter show two circular red dots in two margins and a third in the centre of each page. Folio numbering in the left side red-dot is reminiscent of palm-leaf period. Size of Ms. 25.5 x 11.2 cms.
Paintings are done beautifully with fine brush by a steady hand, in bright colours, practically without the use of gold, on brick-red back-ground. Female forms are both graceful and charming. Especially noteworthy are the pompons on hands of ladies and textile patterns of the lotus, the swan, the cris-cross designs, etc. The format with three red dots, method of numbering, patterns on garments, very sparing use of gold (occassionally in crowns etc.) and the use of yellow as carnation (which was popular in the fourteenth century miniatures) suggest that this manuscript cannot be later than c. 1400 to 1410 A. D. Experiments were taking place in various sizes and formats of paper manuscripts, during this period as is evident from a manuscripts of Salibhadrakākakula and Kalpa-sūtra from the collection of Oriental Institute, Baroda, noted above. Amongst colours used in this undated Kalpa-sūtra are green, blue, pink, white, magenta and pearl-shell or conch-shell for white.
31. Moti Chandra, Jaina Miniature Paintings from Western India, figs. 177-182, pp. 48-51; Mehta,
N. C., A Painted Roll from Gujarat (A. D. 1433), Indian Art and Letters, Vol. VI pp. 71-78. 32. Nawab, S. M., Masterpieces of the Kalpa-sätra Paintings (Ahmedabad, 1956), PI. IV, figs. 12-16 and pl. Vi fig. 21-23, pl. Vla, fig. 26.
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