16.1. Drawing and Painting

The Harṣacarita uses the word citra^[1] and ālekhya^[2] to imply painting, and varṇaka^[3] for various paints. Description of citrapaṭa^[4] or cloth with drawing and painting are found in the Harṣacarita.

According to the Amarakoṣa—

ālekhyā’ścaryayościtram.^[5]

The writer mentions that in the 7^th century, the painters were very expert in drawing and painting.^[6]

At the same time the author does not forget to describe the essential requisites of paintings such as [the following, which was presented^[9] by Bhāskaravarman to king Harṣavardhana]—

1. brushes^[7] (tūlikā),
2. drawing-board^[8] (ālekhya-phalaka) etc.,

It shows that the kings were also interested in portraits. King Prabhākaravardhana invited the eminent artisans, painters^[10] etc. from different countries. The author mentions one of his friends Bīravarmā^[11] was a painter. Bāṇa also does not forget to mention that the ladies were expert in drawing, painting and dying in his time. He briefly describes that they had produced^[12] the bridal dress of princess Rājyaśrī painted with leaves of various trees and spotted^[13] with saffron paste and the drier had to dry^[14] it carefully. Hence the author uses the word parabhāga^[15] to suggest the beauty of that painting.

Description of engraving of pictures on the walls and the pillars, and decorated polished jars,^[16] also, are found in many places in this gadyakāvya. It is found that drawing of big portrayed of Yama, the deity of the death was seen by a yamapaṭṭika^[17] to the citizens.

It is also found that the paintings consisted of the representation of male and female figures. When king Grahavarman had entered in to kautūkagṛha, he saw Ratī, the spirit of love, painted^[18] on the side of the door. On the other side painted kupid, whose bow was strong. It, hence, infers that the art of portraying picture seemed to be very popular in Bāṇa’s time.

Again, from the descriptions of various occupations relating to art and craft, [indicate that the people were very rich in art and craft]—such as—

1. sūtradhāra (carpenter who measuring with plumb lines,p.69),
2. hemakāra,
3. kalāda (goldsmiths,p.69,19),
4. hairika (supervisor of goldsmith,p.19),
5. lepyakāra (clay-workers,p.69),
6. citrakāra (painter,p.69),
7. pustakṛta (a model-maker, a manufacture of dolls,p.19),
8. śilpī (artesian,p.68) etc.

The writer uses the term kuvaikaṭikā^[19] for inefficient jewelers, who destroy the valuable jewelries. Again, mudrā^[20] is mentioned which are coins made of gold stamped with royal seal, which shows how advanced the people were in art and architecture of the 7^th century A.D.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid.,II.p.35

[2]:

Ibid.,IV.p.69

[3]:

Ibid.

[4]:

citrapaṭanāṃ mradriyāsaṃ…, Ibid.,VII.p.116

[5]:

Amarakoṣa,III.3.179

[6]:

caturacitrakaracakravālalikhyamānamaṅgalālekhyam, Harṣacarita,IV.p.69

[7]:

Ibid.,VII.p.117

[8]:

Ibid.

[9]:

….tūlikālābukāṃśca likhitānālekhyaphalakasampuṭān, Ibid.

[10]:

[a] rājā tu…..sakaladeśādiśyamānaśilpisārthāgamanam, Ibid.,IV.p.68 [b] caturacitrakara….likhyamānamaṅgalamālekhyam, Ibid.,p.69

[11]:

citrakṛdvīravarmā, Ibid.,I.p.19

[12]:

[a] vahuvidhabhatkinirmāṇaipuṇa….ācāracaturantaḥpura….. rājamānarajakarajyamānai raktaiścobhayapaṭāntalagna- parijanapreṇkholitacchāyāsu śoṣyamānaiḥ…, Ibid.,IV.p.69 [b]...śuṣkaiśca kuṭilakramarupakriyamānapallavaparabhāgaiḥ……, Ibid.

[13]:

…kuṅkumapaṅkasthāsakacchuranai…….uttarīyaiḥ…, Ibid.

[14]:

rājamānarajakarajyamānai…, Ibid.

[15]:

Ibid.

[16]:

…citrayantībhiścitrapatralatālekhyakuśalābhiḥ kalaśāṃśca…, Ibid.

[17]:

[a] ….vāmahastavartini bhīṣaṇamahiṣādhiruḍapretanāthasanāthe citravati pate paraloka…….kathayantaṃ yamapaṭṭikaṃ dadarśa, Ibid.,V.p.76 [b] yamapaṭṭika ivāmbare citramālikhya, Ibid.,IV.p.66

[18]:

[a] praviveśa ca dvārapakṣalikhitaratipratidaivataṃ…, Ibid.,IV.p.72 [b] ekadeśalikhita….adhijyacāpena…..śaramṛjukurvatā kāmadevenādhiṣṭhitam, Ibid.

[19]:

kuvaikaṭikā iva tejasviratnavināśakāḥ…, Ibid.,VI.p.99

[20]:

vṛṣaṅkamabhinavaghaṭatāṃ hāṭakamayīṃ mudrā…, Ibid.,VII.p.108