Ellora. Kailasnath [sic] Temple. West façade.
Date
Authors
Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Description
It is possible to notice another feature peculiar to the Nandi shrine at Kailasnath [sic] in this detail
namely, the raised portion of the basement rock which has taken on the proportion of a complete story of elevation in itself. If this base were not present, we would see that the shrine is but an early Pattadakal form (that is, in the northern style with no base or raised portion at all), for indeed the model for the Kailasnath was brough south from Pattadakal through Kanchi, the artistic center of the early Medieval Period. Compositionally, the facade is like a large wooden casket provided with nemerous paneled recesses over its many parts especially created to hold sculpture - much as framed niches on Renaissance churches do. these paneled frames are not the only areas where sculptural decoration appears, though: notice how in the second story, just right of the small architrave, a figure of a celestial deity appears without any niche at all. Thus, although the shrine was built as if to regulate the placement of its sculpture, it does not in fact make use of the decoration in this way. -- Detail (with elephant on right).
namely, the raised portion of the basement rock which has taken on the proportion of a complete story of elevation in itself. If this base were not present, we would see that the shrine is but an early Pattadakal form (that is, in the northern style with no base or raised portion at all), for indeed the model for the Kailasnath was brough south from Pattadakal through Kanchi, the artistic center of the early Medieval Period. Compositionally, the facade is like a large wooden casket provided with nemerous paneled recesses over its many parts especially created to hold sculpture - much as framed niches on Renaissance churches do. these paneled frames are not the only areas where sculptural decoration appears, though: notice how in the second story, just right of the small architrave, a figure of a celestial deity appears without any niche at all. Thus, although the shrine was built as if to regulate the placement of its sculpture, it does not in fact make use of the decoration in this way. -- Detail (with elephant on right).
Citation
Collections
Source
Type
Archives Series
Basham Collection
Date created
circa 1970s
Access Statement
License Rights
This item is provided for research purposes. Contact the Australian National University Archives at butlin.archives@anu.edu.au for permission to use.
DOI
Restricted until
Downloads
File
Description