The Ajanta Caves: Ancient Paintings of Buddhist India
Some 2000 years ago, the first of the magnificent temples of Ajanta were carved directly into the great volcanic cliffs of the Waghora River in western India. In a series of creative bursts over the centuries, they were decorated with hundreds of subtle and beautiful murals depicting scenes from the lives of Buddha and the Buddhist cosmology. Although most of the other ancient temple murals of India disappeared long ago, those in Ajanta have survived in the dark of the cavelike temples. To further the murals' preservation and enhance the viewer's understanding of how beautiful they are in their original setting as seen by an oil lamp's dim light, the author has photographed the murals for the first time without using strong artificial lighting. Since Buddhist art spread with the wandering monks into Southeast Asia, China, Korea, and Japan, these murals are a fascinating glimpse at the wellspring of a great deal of Asian art. The 189 superb color photographs are complemented by a concise text and a series of explanatory line drawings and maps. Highly recommended.?David McClelland, PhiladelphiaCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.