1907,1111.68

Description

Scope and content : D. IV. 5. Painted wooden panel; rectangular. OBVERSE: In two semi-ellipses, two half-length figures. First: R. p., a nude male carrying in L. p. hand a long-stemmed, leaf-shaped fan (?) resting on L. p. shoulder. Hair black, in loose top-knob, which is inclined to R. p. of head, and adorned with row of small pearls round roots of hair, and cincture of pearls binding top-knob. Head three-quarter face to L. p. L. p. hand (holding fan) raised to breast. R. p. half pendant at R. side. Large thick rings in ears. Background white (?). Flesh dark. Figure is perhaps attendant of next personage. Second: Rat-headed figure, head, profile to R. p. wearing diadem. Robe red with small ‘powdered’ pattern in white dots. Border at neck, blue. Band round arms blue. Flesh dark yellow. R. p. hand at breast, L. p. half pendant. Background pink (?). The surrounding elliptical arches to both figures are a broad Indian red band, and outside it a thin line. The background between the arches, pale pink, with diaper of simple crosses (like + signs) in Indian red. Two end portions of panel much deleted, but there appears to have been a figure to L. p. with deep red robe, black hair, light flesh. Arch over this figure cuts into that of rat-headed figure, while there is a space of more than 1" between the next two. There appears to be marks of purple dye (Sindūra?) in places. See Plate LXIII. REVERSE: Traces of five seated figures in niches, hands in lap. Robe red (?); flesh light; contours red; black eyebrows, eyelashes, and pupils. Nimbus. 4th: from R. p. three-quarter face to R. p.; niche pale green; nimbus dark, outlined white. 5th: Same pose, top-knob (?); niche pink ; nimbus pale green, outlined white. Spandrils between niches dark red (?). Marks of Sindūra. Wood fairly preserved. Painting very much damaged, and on reverse almost entirely deleted. 17½" long, 4¼" wide, ⅝" thick. [AK]