Question map
Consider the following statements about Ajanta Cave paintings : 1. The paintings depict yakshas, gandharvas and apsaras. 2. The artists have used the technique of providing "multiple perspectives". Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Explanation
The Ajanta Cave paintings are renowned for their diverse subject matter and sophisticated artistic techniques. Statement 1 is correct as the murals prominently depict various celestial and semi-divine beings, including Yakshas, Yakshinis, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, often shown as attendants or worshippers of the Buddha [3]. These figures represent the socio-cultural and religious landscape of the period. Statement 2 is also correct. The artists at Ajanta employed a unique narrative style that utilized 'multiple perspectives' or 'rotating perspectives.' This technique allowed them to depict different events of a single story within the same frame, often using architectural elements or figures to guide the viewer's eye through various spatial planes and time sequences [4]. This approach, combined with shading techniques to create a three-dimensional effect, highlights the advanced nature of the Madhyadesa School of painting [4].
Sources
- [3] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings > Paintings from the past > p. 102
- [1] https://ia802907.us.archive.org/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.70489/2015.70489.Studies-In-Indian-Paiting_text.pdf
- [4] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Painting > p. 98