The document provides information about the Ajanta caves located in Maharashtra, India. It discusses the two phases of construction - the Hinayana period from 2nd-1st century BC and the later Mahayana period from 4th-6th century AD. During the first phase, the earliest caves were excavated under the Satavahana dynasty and depictions of the Buddha were through symbols. The second phase saw greater artistic activity with sculptures and paintings of the Buddha added. The caves contain detailed fresco paintings on the walls and ceilings depicting Buddhist stories and themes. Techniques like multiple vision and animnonnata were used to provide an illusion of depth. Over time the paintings declined in quality

1. Jeevan Lal
University of Kerala
MVA Art History and Aesthetics.
RRV Centre of Excellence for Visual Arts
Mavelikkara, Kerala.
AJANTA
An astonishing painting tradition

2. Location
The caves, lying deep inside the Sahyadri Hills,
are hollowed out on the deep face of a
horseshoe-shaped hillside with the Waghora
river flowing through it.
The caves of Ajanta are situated in the district
of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra.
Ajanta is about 100 km from Aurangabad and
about 60 km from Jalgaon.
The another equally important monuments of
Ellora are only about 30 km away

3. The caves of Ajanta offer an instructive field
for the study of the evolution of rock-cut
architecture. The evolution of rock architecture
took place during two periods.
The Hinayana period and
The later Mahayana period.

4. First Phase-Hinayana period
(2nd - 1st centuries BC)
The earliest caves (Nos. 8, 9, 10, 13 & 15A)
were excavated during the rule of the
Satavahana, who had their capital at
Pratishthana. During their rule there was brisk
trade and commerce within the land and
with the Mediterranean world, which brought
in enormous riches.

5. Second Phase Mahayana period
(4th – 6th centuries AD)
The second phase was of greater artistic
activity at Ajanta and the remaining caves were
excavated during the rule of the Vakataka
dynasties from the 4th to the 6th centuries
AD.

6. Re-discovery
James Burgess and William Gill
made copies of some of the paintings
and exhibited in London in 1866.
Later some copies were made
by Griffiths and Lady Herringham
and published in 1896 and 1915.
Under the patronage of the Nizam,
the then ruler of Hyderabad,
Yazdani edited and published
two volumes on the paintings in 1933.

7. Rahula and Yashodhara meet the Buddha, Cave 17
Reproduction by Herringham

10. Chaitya-s – Temples
Vihara-s - Monasteries
The caves of Ajanta are divided into
Chaitya Vihara

11. Themes of Paintings
The subjects of the paintings are
mostly from the jataka-s, Buddhist
mythological stories of the previous lives
of the Master
During the first phase, the Buddha was
not shown in the human form,
but only through symbols, such as, the
Wheel, the Bodhi Tree and the Feet of
the Buddha.
But during the Mahayana period
sculptures and paintings of the Buddha
was added.

12. Vesanthara Jathaka

13. Shibi Jathaka

14. Maras episode

15. Earlier Phase (2nd cent BC to 1st cent AD)
Main Characteristics.
*Images placed at Eye level.
*Images are arranged by Episodes to Episode.
*Narration arranged in the form of long single canvas.
Composition

16. Later Phase (4th cen onwards)
Main Characteristics.
*Images are multi focused.
*Images are arranged the entire surface of the wall.
*Arranged the images Scene by scene accordingly,
not divided by any frame.
Composition

17. Painting techniques.
Indian wall paintings called Fesco-
Secco. It is a painting technique which
is used in to Dry wall surface.
‘Chithra Suthra’ it is a sub text of
‘Vishnudharmothara Purana’
(7th Cent AD text) Which explains the
process of preparing the surface,
plaster and finish coat. The process
called ‘Vajralepa’.
Fesco-Secco.
Chithakamalikhithaka –
One who doing colouring jobs.

18. Preparing the wall-
Base Plaster
It consisted of powdered brick,
burnt conches and sand, mixed
with a molasses and decoction of
Phaseolus munga.
To this were added mashed ripe
bananas or tree resins and the
pulp of bilva fruit.
After drying it was ground down
and mixed with molasses and
water until became soft for
coating.

19. Preparing the wall-
Finish Coat
Buffaloskin was boiled in water
until it became soft. Sticks were
then made of the paste and
dried in the sunshine. When
colour was mixed with this, it
made it fast, and if white mud
was mixed with it, it served as a
perfect medium for coating
walls.

20. Pigment Used
Most pigments were minerals
available locally: red ochre, vivid
red, yellow ochre, indigo blue,
chalk white, terra verte and green.
Only Lapis lazuli was imported,
Lamp-black was the only non-
mineral

21. Applying Technique.
A preliminary sketch was drawn while
the surface was still slightly wet. On this
surface the outline was filled in with
various colours, proceeding from
underpainting to the appropriate
colours of the subject.
Finally, when dry, it was finished off with a
dark outline for final definition and a
burnishing process to give luster to the
surface.

22. Painting Tredition
Treatises were codified based
on Ajanta .
Brihat-samhita (6th century)
Kama-sutra (6th century)
Vishnu-dharmottara (7th century)
Samarangana-sutra-dhara (11th century)

23. Painting Tradition
‘Six Limbs of Painting’ according to Kama-
sutra, a well-known treatise on erotics.
‘’ rupabhetha pramani
Bhavalavanya yojanam sadrisyam
varnikabhangam
Iti chithram shadangakam’’
rupa-bheda- Differentiation
pranamam- Proportion
Bhavam - Suggestion of mood
Lavanya yojanam- Infusion of grace
sadrishyam- Resemblance
Varnika bhangam- Application of colour

24. ‘Eight Limbs of Painting’
according to Samarangana-sutra-dhara.
a well-known treatise on architecture.
bhUmi-bandhana preparation of surface
varnika crayon work
rekha-karma outline work
lakshaNa features of face
varna-karma colouring
vartana-karma relief by shading
lekha-karma correction
dvika-karma final outline
Painting Tradition

25. Depth in paintings
Perspective.
A technique of painting scenes
from different angles and merging
them, similar to the modern
technique called Multiple Vision.

26. Depth in paintings
Multiple Vision
A technique of painting scenes
from different angles and merging
them, similar to the modern
technique called Multiple Vision.

27. Depth in paintings
For shottening
A technique of painting scenes
from different angles and merging them,
similar to the modern technique
called Multiple Vision.

28. Depth in paintings
Animnonnata - flat style
Nimnonnata - relief by shading

29. Depth in paintings
animnonnata
A flat style that uses dark
colours for the subjects in the
foreground against a
background of lighter shades,
or vice versa

30. Depth in paintings
Vartana
A high-relief technique to produce
an illusion of the third dimension
Patraja
(‘shading-like-the-lines-of-a-leaf
Binduja (dot-and-stipple method) Illusion of
depth is achieved by painting dots with
variations in concentration of dots.
nimnonnata

31. Depth in paintings
Airika (a wash technique)
Illusion of depth is achieved by
executing tonal variation and avoiding
hard-lines.
Ujjotana (adding highlights)
Highlights in the form of white patches
added on the cheeks, the chin, the
nose, etc
to get a three-dimensional effect.
Chaya-tapa (‘shade-and-shine’)
A technique that produces a
chiaroscuro effect Use of Blue Colour
(Lapis Lazuli) In the later period lapis
lazuli, a blue, imported mineral came
to be used as an effective medium for
creating visual depth, contrasting with
warm red and brown tones

32. Paintings and
Natya Sasthra
The relationship between painting and
dance is a remarkable unique
Indian tradition.
Vishnu-dharmottara (7th century AD)
stresses the impossibility of attaining
a proper expression of feeling
in painting without the knowledge of
theatre and dance
Dancing had become highly stylised
in the later period. A dancer with full
complement of accompanying musicians is
from Cave 1.
“Vibava Abnubhava Vyabhichari Samyoga”
_Bharatha.

33. Tribhanga Pose
It gives the body an S-shaped
rhythm, a fluency of line, which,
together with the appropriate
gestures of hands, conveys a wide
range of expressions.
Paintings and
Natya Sasthra

34. Symbolism
The parts of the body
should resemble, and be based on,
similes drawn from plant or animal-life.
Sensuous lips are ripe and full like the
bimba-fruit; fingers likened to
lotus-petals.

35. Portrait of women
The Ajanta artist has
painted the whole range
of women characters:
ladies of court and their
maids, dancers, common
women in their houses
and all.

36. Portrait of women

37. Many heroines of Ajanta are dark coloured. Perhaps taste included
black as an attractive beauty for skin.
Portrait of women

38. Movements
Vishnu-dharmottara says:
"He, who paints waves, flames, smoke, …
according to the movement of the wind,
is a great painter."
Ajanta painters took great pleasure in
composing scenes involving movement
with great zest.
Indra’s Descent, Cave 17

39. Movements

40. Humour
Champeyya Jataka, Cave 1
Friends drinking, Cave 2

41. Musical instruments
In Ajanta, we can study the
development of our musical
heritage. We can see both the
continuity and change over the
period. A variety of musical
instruments have been depicted.

42. Musical instruments

43. Ceiling paintings- Animals

44. Ceiling paintings- Birds

45. Celing paintings- Flowers

46. Ceiling paintings- Geometrical Designs

47. Ceiling paintings- Celestial Figures

48. Period of Decline

49. Period of Decline
Pre-Classical Period
(2nd-1st Centuries BC)
Classical Period
(4th-5th Centuries AD)
Baroque Period
(Mid-6th Century AD)
Period of Decline
(End-6th Century AD)

50. Period of Decline
Miracle at Shravasti, Cave 2
Period of Decline (End-6th Century AD)

51. Some astonishing scenes of Ajanta

52. Some astonishing scenes of Ajanta

53. Some astonishing scenes of Ajanta

55. Thank You
pn.jeevanart@gmail.com
Bibliography
1.Dieter Schlingloff-Ajanta Narrative wall paintings/
Indira gandhi national centre.
2.Mira Seth/Indian Paintings-The great mural
tredition/Abrams,Newyork/ 2013.
3.Meera Talim-Ajanta Painting-Unidentified
&Misinterpreted/2013.
4.google images, www.wikipedia.com/ ajanta 2016
5.www.ajantacaves.org/ ajanta:need for inter-deceplinary
research/oct 12 2013
6.S.Swaminathan/Ajantha paintings/powershow.com.
7.RRVCEVA-Lecture class- Deepak Kannal,Amal,2016-17.