Science and Art of Calligraphy and Painting

Author(s): S Andhare
Publisher: Indian National Science Academy

Page 78

BRODS
43 The fourth category of Chitra pustak, may not be understood as illustrated Mss. alone which includes Mss. which are visually aesthetic and made more beautifiul by virtue of their internal decoration such as writing, colouring and overall design. It is this peculiarity of painting, writing and calligraphy that makes it a Chitra pustak.
Some times the scribes use their ingenuity in calligraphy by keeping interesting vacant spaces in the from of squares, circles, rosettes, lotuses as well as geometrical patterns while composing the text on a single folio (ig 5) At times the writer leaves his own name or the name of the book in the center and weaves the text around it. While rendering these artistic designs in between the text or sometimes decorating the hasias (margins) with hunting scenes with excellant drawings and paintings the scribes exhibittheir mastery over miniature painting also.
Fig 5
,
When paper came to be used for manuscripts the smaller and narrow format of the palm-leaf was discontinued. The size of the letters become big and painting and marginal decoration gained prominance. In the history of miniature paintings of the world the early Jain manuscript illustrations claim a unique position.