Ajanta Paintings: Study as a Source of History

This Presentation is prepared for Graduate Students. A presentation that provides basic information about the topic. Students should seek further information from the recommended books and articles. This presentation is only for students and purely for academic purposes. I took/copied the pictures/maps included in the presentation are from the internet. The presenter is thankful to them and herewith courtesy is given to all. This presentation is only for academic purposes.

1. Ajanta Paintings Dr. Virag Sontakke Assistant Professor Center for Advanced Studies Department of A.I.H.C. & Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University

2. Introduction One of the unique Buddhist Rock–cut Architecture in the World Caves were carved out Rock was Basaltic (Igneous formation) Bears over 600 years of construction history Different dynastic patronage Individual, guilds donations Not only famous for architecture but also for their paintings Its current name is derived from a neighbouring village, the local pronunciation of which is  Ajintha . Ajita  is the colloquial name of Maitreya  Buddha. Declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1983. Chronology: 200 BCE-700 CE

3. Location Ajanta situated in Maharashtra In Aurangabad district 100 km from Aurangabad city 420 km from Bombay On Wagora river Total 30 Caves Numbers are given from 1 to 30. Not related to chronological sequence

4. Numberings of the Caves

5. Elements of Ajanta caves

6. Ajanta Cave: Period

7. Dynastic Affiliations

8. Re-discovery of the Ajanta Accidental Discovery 28 th April 1819 By John Smith Cave no:1o

9. Structural Elements Total 30 Rock Cut Caves 5 chaityas , which are basically prayer halls (9, 10, 19, 26, and 29). 25 caves are known as Viharas (Monasteries) , which are monasteries with residents. Thought to have been occupied by some 200 monks and artisans. 

10. Chaitya Five Caves (9, 10, 19, 26, and 29) Early Stupa: 9,10 (No image of Buddha) Later Stupa: 19,26 (Buddha sculpted on the front face) A  chaitya  is apsidal or rectangular in form. Has a aisles on either side A nave with a barrel roof. Each aisle is separated by a row of pillars. At the end the nave contains a stupa. The early  chaityas  meticulously imitated contemporary wooden structures. Can be seen in the vaulted roof decorations and pillars.

11. CAVE-26 CAVE-10

12. Vihara A  vihara , called  Sangharama. A monastic abode consisting of a central hall with adjoining residential cells. A pillared porch or verandah . A central hall, mostly squarish in plan Cells for monks hewn into its sides. An antechamber connects to the  garbhagriha  containing an image of Buddha. architectural development proceeded from early sober to richly ornamented pillared  viharas .

13. Viharas Cave no 4

14. Cave 12 plan: an early type of vihara (1st century BCE) without internal shrine Plan of Viharas

15. Sculptures of Ajanta Belongs to 2 nd Phase (Vakataka) Buddha was main subject Various poses of Buddha Inspiration from  Jataka tales Sculptures were both plastered and painted. The  garbhagriha  of  the vihara contains Buddha in a seated posture ( dharmachakra   pravartana mudra) Sub-deities, Gana , dwarapala , Naga Kings etc.

16. Hariti shrine, Cave 2 Naga King and his Consort, Cave 19

17. Paintings Currently, paintings are intact in both the earlier and later phase Caves no 9 & 10 belong to the Satavahana period Paintings of early caves are represented only symbolically by the Bodhi tree,  paduka  (wooden footwear), wheel etc.  Later period paintings are survived in Cave no 1,2, 16 & 17 Later caves depicting Buddha murals, including Kinnara,  Vidyadhara ,   Gandharva  etc. Painters were mastered in an easy and fluent naturalistic style The paintings prominently narrate the  Jataka stories . The narratives flow unrestricted from one cave wall to the next with effortless flexibility.  Artist had a deep understanding of nature,  gestures, life, expressions etc. Buddhist legends describe the previous births of the Buddha.

18. Historiography The Royal Asiatic Society in London commissioned reproductions in the 1840s by Major Robert Gill; these were destroyed in a fire two decades later.  British artists John Griffiths and Lady Herrington undertook further documentation in the 1870s.  Students at the school reproduced the murals, and most were subsequently sent to the then-newly established Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  It is mainly due to these reproductions that the Ajanta murals are known worldwide today. The museum still possesses 166 of these paintings, which were last displayed in 1955 and stored in storage. In 1920, the Indian archaeologist Ghulam Yazdani, appointed by the Nizam of Hyderabad, became the first person to photograph the Ajanta murals.

19. Paintings Walsl , ceilings, pillars Religious in tone and theme Depicts the live and times of Buddha & Bhodhisattva Court scene Street scene Cameos of domestic lives Animals Birds

20. Paintings: Early Stage Two periods Early Paintings: caves 9 &10 Period: 200-100 BCE Costumes and ornaments Similar to Sanchi. & Bharhut

21. Paintings: Second Stage Vakataka Period; 400-600 CE High quality Remains: Cave-1,2,16 & 17 Most of the cave was painted: finished & unfinished Size of the subject increased Rich beauty Superb Expression Wonderful colour scheme Balanced composition

22. Theme Buddha & Bodhisattva Incidents from the life of Buddha Jataka tales: Most extensively painted Scene of Jataka stories: Teaching of Monks Social life Scene: from birth to death Life scene: from slaves to king Economic status: Rich to poor From Saint to begger Love & hatred Joy & sorrow Triumph & tribulation Portrait Descriptive decorativ e

23. Paintings Wall R eligious iconography. Wall paintings are religious Jataka tales Vivid life Wall murals of the first period are difficult to discern since they have been heavily damaged over time. Ceiling Ceiling paintings are decorative Panorama of endless pattern Floors Plants & vegetables Birds Beasts and humans

24. Paintings Buddhist Symbols Bodhi tree Jataka stories Asita’s visit to the infant Buddha, The temptation of Buddha by Mara, Miracles of Buddha, tales of kings such as Sibi, Indra C ourt scenes, Le gends of Nagas V arious scenes of battle and hunting. Early Paintings Late Paintings

25. Execution: Stage 1 First: Surface prepared Rough layer of ferruginous earth + Mixed with rock grit or sand + Mixed with vegetable fibers + Paddy husk + Gras and other organic fiber material Surfaces were left rough

26. Execution: Stage 2 Second coat of mud and ferruginous earth mixed with Fine rock powder or sand Fine fibrous vegetables The surface was finally finished with thin coat of limewash

27. Over the limewash Outlines of the subject were drawn boldly The spaces were then filled with colours The layer of paint in the murals measures 0.1 millimetre in thickness, The underlying layer of fine plaster varies from cave to cave but generally ranges between 2 and 3 millimetres. Execution: Stage 3

28. Colors Red: Red ochre Yellow: Yellow ochre White: lime, kaolin Black: lamp black Blue: lapis lazuli The murals of the first phase use a limited range of colours, mostly confined to different shades of ochre, S econd phase use a rich mosaic of colours consisting of yellow, red, white, blue black and green. 

29. glauconite lapis lazuli kaolin gypsum lime Black soot

30. Cave I Mahajanaka Jataka

31. Painting Technique The rugged surface of the cave walls was made uneven This black, porous surface provides a grip on the covering plaster Plaster was made of ground ferruginous earth, rock grit, sand, vegetable fibres, paddy husk, and other fibrous materials of organic origin. The second layer of mud is ferruginous earth mixed with pulverised rock powder or sand and fine vegetable fibre. The surface was then treated with a thin coat of limewash over which pigments were applied. Except for the black which was obtained from kohl, all other pigments were of mineral origin.

32. Paintings Paintings have a lot of typological variations. Outward projections are used later phase. Lines are clearly defined and are very rhythmic. Body colour gets merged with the outer line creating the effect of volume. The figures are heavy like the sculptures of western India.

33. Style The visual style of the murals is exceptionally sophisticated. Outlines are bold and elegant, C ompositions are vibrant and detailed, H uman figures are stylised, Humans are ornately adorned with clothing or jewellery S ensitively shaded, and endowed with expressive facial features. S tyle depicting elongated eyes and dynamic hand gestures is regarded as highly influential in world art history. The paintings were linked to mural paintings in Central Asia and manuscript paintings in China and Japan.

34. Painting as a Source Paintings are mirrors of contemporary society It shows life of ancient people Palace, court, towns, villages, hamlets and hermitage City gates, ramparts, huts, stupas and monasteries Dress Ornaments Musical instruments Utensils Weapons Indians and outsiders Glimpses of the heavenly world: Yaksha, Gandharva, apsara

35. Real picture of the society Social, religious, economic depiction of ancient india Variety of flora and fauna Painting as a Source

36. Though all these paintings are believed to be based on the Pali  jātakas . Recent research found that some are based on the  Avadāna —or texts written in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit (BHS), Mahāvastu Avadāna   and  Divyāvadāna — Pure Sanskrit texts such as Ārya Śura’s   Jātakamāla   Aśvaghośa’s   Sundarananda Kāvya  and  Buddhacaritam . But scholars have not considered these sources. Painting as a Source: Literarture

37. Storied and related text Cave no. 1 A lady reclining on a couch : Sundarananda Kāvya                Princess Mālini and Buddha:  Mahāvastu Avadāna               King Śibi : Mahābhārata                                                   Cave no. 2 The mythical world of Nāgas : Mahāvastu Avadāna Purna Avadāna  : Divyāvadāna Cave no. 6 A  bhikshu  (?) : A Brahmin  Upāsaka  Buddha figures                                     Mahayana tradition Cave no. 10 Arrival of the king ( Aśoka ) to worship the Bodhi tree : Edicts of King Aśoka Elephant with six tusks : Chaddanta-jātaka , Mahāvastu Avadāna Cave no. 16 Hasti Jātakam : Jātakamālā  (a text written in pure Sanskrit) A dying : Sundarananda Kāvya Conversion of Sundarananda : Sundārananda Kāvya Cave no. 17 Group of six heretics                                          Divyāvadāna A toilet scene, Princess Sundari                      Sundarananda Kāvya Prince Sundarananda , bewildered                  Sundarananda Kāvya The Buddha with Yaśodharā and Rāhula      Mahāvastu Avadāna Sinhala Avadāna                                                 Divyāvadāna Enigma of flying horse                                      Valāhaka jātaka , Mahāvastu Avadāna

38. Patronage & Execution S ome of the figures painted alongside the Buddha might be members of donor families. The murals are possibly made mostly by individual guilds. In some cases, the monks of the Ajanta may have supervised the production of the murals. The  Mahāvagga  ( Vinaya Pìtaka ): Monks would visit caves in different regions and tell the chief of the guild which  Jataka Kathā  to paint, But leave it to the chief to decide which events in the tale the painters should paint.  The painters were free to paint as they liked. This is one of the reasons why the Ajanta paintings look alive, attractive and appealing.  Some monks would supervise the job and pay the chief of the guild; T he chief would distribute the money among the painters.

39. Princess Malini paying homage to the Buddha Mālinīvastu  - Māhavastu Avadāna

40. Purna Avadāna - Divyāvadāna

41. Buddha, Yaśodharā and Rāhula - Mahāvastu Avadāna

42. Royal Love Scene Cave 17

43. Bodhisatva

44. Rahul and Yashodhara meet the Buddha, Cave 17 - Mural Reproduction by Herringham

45. Ceilings

46. Traders

47. Traders

48. Houses

49. Cave 17

50. Palaces

51. Houses

52. Musical Instruments

53. Ornaments

54. A- Queen (from Gupta gold coin), B- Votary (Ajanta, Cave II), C -Attendant (Ajanta, Cave I), D-Maid Servant (Ajanta, Cave XVII), E- Court Lady (Ajanta, Cave I), F- Princess (Ajanta, Cave I), G- Court Lady (Gwalior Museum), H-Female Votary (Ajanta, Cave VI), I- Maid (Ajanta, Cave XVI)

55. Technique While there is considerable dispute about whether the murals were made using Tempera or fresco  secco? On the fact that they are not fresco buono , where the painting is done on wet plaster. 

56. Discussion The Ajanta wall paintings are famous for their masterful line-work, the use of natural pigments, the artistry achieved with only primitive tools, the sensual forms, and the harmony of the overall composition. An initial phase is made up primarily of the fragments in caves 9 & 10, from the second century B.C. T he second phase of paintings started around 5th and 6th century CE

57. Destruction of Paintings The preservation of the murals has been an ongoing challenge ever since this rediscovery. Both environmental and human agents have been responsible for their deterioration, W ide fluctuations in temperature and humidity, A tmospheric pollution and vandalism. Older techniques of preservation used in the colonial period, such as the use of unbleached shellac and Victorian varnish, caused considerable damage to the murals. The Archaeological Survey of India undertook an advanced chemical cleaning and preservation and restoration of the murals in 1999. These efforts removed the layers of dirt, grime and shellac and secured the crumbling edges of broken plaster by filleting, so that the original compositions were not altered.

58. Conclusion Ajanta caves are producing one of the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art. The art and architecture of Ajanta are universally regarded as masterpieces of Buddhist Art in the World. Ajanta became an important center for Buddhist religion and art under the enlightened patronage of the Satavahana and Vakataka rulers. Ajanta Caves are adorned with wonderful paintings of the Jataka tales, which gave socio-cultural-economic aspects of the society. Ajanta caves have an amazing blend of human and animal sculptures, paintings and beautiful sculptures. Overall, Ajanta is the pinnacle of Ancient Indian artistic tradition.

59. Any Questions