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Culture Documents
murals or scrolls. What it meant was that the rhythm, fluidity and grace
of the natya have to be transported to painting . The Chitrasutra says it
(natya) guides the hand of the artist, who knows how to paint figures, as
if breathing, as if the wind as blowing,as if the fire as blazing, and as if
the streamers as fluttering. The moving force, the vital breath, the life-
movement (chetana) are to be explicit in order to make the painting
come alive with rhythm and force of expression . The imagination,
observation and the expressive force of rhythm are the essential
features of painting.
The Chitrasutra recognized the value and the significance of the spatial
perspective.
*.He who paints waves, flames, smoke and streamers fluttering in the
air, according to the movement of the wind, should be considered a
great painter
*.He who knows how to show the difference between a sleeping and a
dead man ; or who can portray the visual gradations of a highland and a
low land is a great artist
3.2. The Shilpa (sculpture) and Chitra (painting) are closely related to
Natya (dance) in other ways too. The rules of the iconography (prathima
lakshana appear to have been derived from the Natya-sastra. The Indian
sculptures are often the frozen versions or representations of the
gestures and poses of dance (caaris and karanas) described in Natya-
sastra. The Shilpa and chitra (just as the Natya) are based on a system
of medians (sutras), measures (maanas), postures of symmetry
(bhangas) and asymmetry (abhanga, dvibhanga and tribhanga); and on
the sthanas (positions of standing, sitting, and reclining). The concept of
perfect symmetry is present in Shilpa and chitra as in Nrittya; and that is
indicated by the term Sama.
4.2. Paintings had relevance in the private lives too.The polite education
of a Nagarika the educated urbane man of town included knowledge
and skill of several arts in addition to erudition in literature, rhetoric,
grammar, philosophy and allied subjects. Painting was rated high
among these vinoda-sthanas - seats of pleasure or hobbies. The
gentleman of leisure and culture painted for pleasure or in
earnestness; but, of course, not for earning a living.
The courtesans too were proficient in fine arts such as music, dance,
painting poetry as also in body-care techniques. Even a calculating
courtesan would madly love a talented painter though impoverished.
Somadevas Katha-sarit-sagara narratesnumber of delightful stories of
such young and impetuous courtesans.
Education in fine arts like music, dance and painting was considered
essential for unmarried maidens of affluent families. The ancient stories
are replete with instances of young lovers exchanging paintings as
loving gifts.
4.4. Icons were generally classified into four categories: painted on the
wall, canvass, paper, wall or pot (chitraja) ; molded in clay or any other
material like sandal paste or rice flour (lepeja, mrinmayi, or paishti); cast
in metal (pakaja, lohaja, dhatuja); and carved in stone, wood or precious
stones (sastrotkirana, sailaja, daaravi or rathnaja).Early icons were made
in clay or carved wood; and such images were painted over.Hallow
figures (sushira) of gods, demons, yakshas, horses, elephants, etc, were
placed on the verandas of houses , on stages and in public squares etc.
as pieces of decoration . Such hallow images were usually made of clay,
cloth, wood or leather .