1907,1111.72

Description

Scope and content : D. X. 3. Painted wooden panel. Oblong. OBVERSE: Three seated Bodhisattvas. First (R. p.): Head to R. p. three-quarter face. Six-pointed diadem. Top-knob. Hair long, flowing on shoulders. R. p. forearm bare, bracelet. R. p. hand at breast holding Vajra. L. p. hand on thigh. Upper garment close fitting; scarf round arms and behind back. Girdle yellow. Long loincloth. Nimbus yellow. Vesica blue. Hair and all contours, black; costume, flesh, and diadem, white (or pink). Vajra yellow. Second: Head three-quarters to R. p. Wide-sleeved, long, yellow robe, blue bands, edged white at arm-holes; deep red, long-sleeved under-coat; hair long, curling on shoulders, black; diadem white; long-flowing blue (?) drapery from beneath figure falls over front of seat (cushion?). Four arms: 1st R. p. at breast, holding Vajra; 2nd R. p. with Cakra; 1st L. p. rests on thigh; 2nd L. p. holds round object (lotus or fruit, or holy water vessel). Contour lines all black. Vesica yellow. No nimbus. Third: Three heads, on each yellow peaked diadem; hair black, long, waving on shoulders; long, narrow eyes; thin Chinese moustache to front face; front face three-quarters to R. p.; R. p. face to R.; L. p. face to L. Four arms: 1st R. p. at breast, holding cup; 2nd R. p. double object, looking like small tongs, with Vajra-shaped ends; 1st L. p., hand on thigh; 2nd L. p., bow. Short-sleeved garment (white or yellow), with wide arm-holes, having yellow band to each; girdle crossed at back and ends brought to front (pink); under-coat with long sleeves, white or yellow. Cushion red and yellow (brocade). Vesica, blue field, yellow border. No nimbus. Contour lines black. Background of panel white or pink. REVERSE: Four (?) figures seated in row, of which outer two are almost entirely deleted. R. p. first seated figure, half nude; R. p. hand raised (?), L. p. hand indistinguishable. Lower garment rich red with delicate flower diaper in dots of white. Head quite deleted. Second figure in full green robe, folds and contour lines cleverly drawn in black; hands in lap (Dhyānamudrā attitude); head to L. p., eyes outlined in black, the outer angle continued in a single line almost to top of ear, giving precisely the effect of spectacles. Hair of both this and third figure appears to be partially shaved. Nimbus. Third figure similar to second, but head three-quarters to R. p.; same curious elongation of outer angle of eyes. Nimbus light. Robe rich red. Fourth figure too fragmentary to make out. 10" x 4⅛", very soft, both colours and wood. See Plate LXIV. [AK]