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| Sunday, 2 November 2003 |
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Lanka's ancient past - still closely linked to life of its people Art of the Ancient Sinhalese Reviewed by Carol Aloysius "In spite of the many influences that they have been subjected to throughout the centuries ....... the Sinhalese people have continued upto the present day loyal to the religion and culture they embraced over two thousand years ago.........Artistic and architectural motifs associated with them form part of the people's life, while in India they are only of archaeological significance.
This note on the inside cover of well-known archaeologist Dr. Senarat Paranavitana's magnum opus on the 'Art of the Ancient Sinhalese' sums up the contents of the book, recently reprinted and published after a lapse of 22 years as a collector's item by Visidunu Prakashakayo (Pvt) Ltd. This close link between Lanka's ancient art and architectural monuments and the way they shaped and moulded the cultural and religious lives of her people, is the unifying thread that runs through the 116 plates of mainly black and white photos with the exception of four-colour pictures of the Sigiri frescoes, in this artistically assembled picture gallery of Lanka's ancient glory. The back cover of the book which carries a tribute to the, "scholar, archaeologist, historian and master of limpid english prose style" by another literary great, H. A. J. Hulugalle, gives us some useful insights into the character of this multi-talented archaeologist. Prior to taking us inside his gallery of striking photos, Paranavitana has gives his readers a very comprehensive and illuminating account of the beginnings of Sri Lanka's cultural history. Written in his own unique style, this explanatory essay encompasses the full spectrum of art and architecture of the ancient Sinhalese from the time the first Aryan settlers from North India visited this island. He traces the establishment of their new religious and social order, the coming of Buddhism and the first transplanting of cultural and religious institutes, system of government and arts and crafts that were indisputably Indian in their origin. While the author concedes Indian art had a strong influence on Sinhala art, he nevertheless hastens to add that Sinhala art has a distinctive character of its own. He says, "When we say that the culture and art of Ceylon form one aspect of the great culture and art of India, we do not mean that the works of art one would see in Ceylon are a mere repetition of what one would have seen in some part or other of the Indian sub-continent. The basic concepts on which the ancient artists worked in Ceylon are the same as those which held good for their peers in India, the methods and techniques are also often the same. The motifs found which are identical here as well as there. But at the same time certain characteristic features of early Indian art which have undergone no development there, have been given much importance in Sinhalese art and undergone evolutions through a long period of time." He thus concedes that, "In short, the people of ancient Ceylon did make their own contribution to the sum total of achievements of the Indian civilisation in the domain of art." In his discussions, Paranavitana also updates the work of earlier authors. A. J. Hulugalle says of his work, "He makes his comments on the illustrations and presents his own conclusions on points in dispute in regard to the provenance, period of execution and meaning of many a work of art. His verdicts are always authoritative and often arresting, based as they are on a deep understanding of the subject, careful observation and ceaseless search for the scarce and the beautiful." On ancient Sinhala painting, he says, "Painting was an art practised in Ceylon from the earliest times...Not only were the walls of palaces and shrines decorated with paintings, there were also painted clothes which were carried in religious processions...." The 116 plates include: the Eastern Frontispiece (Vahalkada) of the Kantaka-cetiya at Mihintale, circa 1st century,fragment of upturned marble slab showing Queen Maya's dream, circa 2nd century, the head of elephant in a low relief carving on rock at Isurumini, Anuradhapura, circa 4th century, several Naga guard stones, at Vatadage, Polonnaruwa, a rarely seen terra cotta figure found at Rajagala in the Gal-oya valley, in the Amparai museum, Hindgala fresco showing Indra's visit to the Buddha, circa 7th century, which are but a few of several unique pictures that recapture the ancient glory of art and architecture of an era long passed. The book concludes with some useful and informative notes on each of the plates depicted. A note on the author complete with his photograph at the beginning of the book provides us with invaluable glimpses into the character and chequered career of a man who while Acting Charge of the Archaeological Survey from 1932-35, brought to light the earliest examples of plastic art of the Sinhalese, and was responsible for a number of conservation work including the Vatadage at Madirigiriya, one of the best preserved of the circular shrines that are now considered among the most important architectural forms which Sri Lanka affords to students of Art and Architecture. With its striking front cover this black and white hard covered edition priced at Rs. 1,500 will not only be read with pleasure by students of art but will surely find its niche in the libraries of all lovers of Lankan history. As A. J. Hulugalle says, what makes this present volume so special and of compelling interest to its readers is that, "it provides us with the key to the treasury of the art of the ancient Sinhalese which the student and connoisseur have been long waiting for". Thanks to the publishers the book is again available in most book stores. |
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Herein
lies the importance of the culture and art of Ceylon in the study of the
culture of India, or Asia as a whole".
