7(e): Reflection of Symbolization in Portrait through Painting

[Full title: 3.7: Different Kinds of Portrait used in Painting (citra) (e): Reflection of Symbolization in Portrait through Painting]

Symbolization is an action of representing something through a symbol or sign.^[1] It is a practice of showing things with symbolic meaning. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, some natural phenomena are referred to be portrayed with the help of symbolization in a picture. According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa darkness of night should be shown with the picture of men approaching their abodes.^[2] In the Meghadūta, Kālidāsa projected the scene of night with a path, persuaded by some love affected women.^[3] According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, Moon light is portrayed with the blooming of water lilies.^[4] In Sanskrit literature, Kavisamaya or poetic convention is used as a technical term to denote certain situations or things or ideas which have no practical cause in reality.^[5]

In the Sāhityadarpaṇa, kumuda i.e., water lily is said to be bloomed at night.^[6] A reference of this poetic convention is found in the niśāmukhavarṇanā of Kādambarī.^[7] A picture of well covered person indicates the shower of rain.^[8] In ancient time Brahmins had to be engaged with their daily rituals during evening time. Taking this as a theme the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa suggests the painters to show the evening time with the picture of the Brahmins who are busy in their rituals of evening and the picture should be adorned with red glow.^[9] Bānabhatta projects the picture of the evening time with the colour of glowing red as that time the Sun adopts the color like red sandal.^[10] The Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa has given the idea that the picture of some living beings suffering from heat identifies the sun shine.^[11] Here the living beings and their conditions reflect the environment. Thus the picture or the portrait appears to be realistic.