Arts in the Puranas (study)
by Meena Devadatta Jeste | 1973 | 74,370 words
This essay studies the Arts in the Puranas by reconstructing the theory of six major fine arts—Music, Dance, Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Literature—from the Major and Minor Puranas. This thesis shows how ancient sages studied these arts within the context of cultural traditions of ancient India....
9. Drishta and Adrishta (visible and invisible thingss)
- 276 DRSTA AND ADRSTA The Visnudharmottara clearly distinguishes between 'Drsta' and 'Adrsta'. Adrsta comprises things invisible. Drsta things are seen easily by naked eye, excel in landscape painting. We find conventionalism both in realism and idealism. The things beyond the reach of the mortal eye can be represented with the help of suggestion. While describing the Drsta objects, the Visnud harmottara says, "Things that are usually visible to all should be well represented resembling what is seen in nature. The chief (aim) of paint 62 ing is to produce an exact likeness." Men should be painted according to their country, their colour, dress, the work in which they are engaged and the general appearance. lions, and other animals should be represented surroundings as they are seen in nature. Bulls, in appropriate Further Markandeya speaks about the other things in nature. The artist should show the sky without any special colour and full of birds, a mountain by a cluster of rocks, peaks, with metal vein trees, waterfalls and snakes. He should show a forest by various sorts of trees, birds and beasts. He should show water by innumerable fishes and tortoises, by lotuses and aquatic plants. A learned artist should show a city by beautiful temples, palaces and shops, houses and lovely royal roads. The villages, markets, the battlefields should be represented with their distinguishing characteristics. Thus we see that the realistic pictures
-277.also are based on conventionalism. The variegated forms of nature are to be represented with the help of personification. The rivers are to be represented in human shape. They should stand on their Vahanas and their hands should hold pitchers full of water. Stella Kramrisch observes, "Where large appearances like whole rivers and seas, landscapes with rising suns etc., had to be painted he took his refuge and delight in introducing personifications or such actions of some members of the scene 63 appropriate to, and indicative of their surroundings. In representing mountains, an artist should show the peak on the head of the personification. But it is important, says Visnudharmottara, that "Every part of the object to be represented should agree with the general treatment of the whole object."