AJANTA CAVE PAINTINGS
the many-splendoured delights of Ajanta compiled by Subramanian Swaminathan
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Painting Technique 

Indian wall-paintings are done on dry wall, called fresco secco. 

In the West painting is done on a moist wall, called fresco buono. 
 

Indra’s Descent, Cave 17
Last Supper, da Vinci
 
 
It might have taken centuries for the Indian artist to develop the technique of preparing the wall for painting, and also to select suitable pigments with an appropriate binder.  The importance of these may be seen from the fact that the Ajanta paintings have withstood the ravages of time with remarkable resilience. 

Preparation of Wall 
We have no clue to the technique of preparing the wall.  But the treatises which were written later based on the Ajanta experience give us an idea. For example, Vishnu-dharmottara (7th century) explains the process of preparing the base plaster and the finish coat, called ‘vajralepa’. 
 

Preparation of Wall - Base Plaster 
The base plaster consisted of powdered brick, burnt conches and sand, mixed with a preparation of molasses and drops of a decoction of Phaseolus munga.  To this were added mashed ripe bananas or tree resins and the pulp of bilva fruit (Aegle marmelos).  After drying it was ground down and mixed with molasses and water until became soft for coating. 
 

Preparation of Wall - Finish Coat (Vajralepa) 
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. 
 

Pigments 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. 
 

Painting Sequence 
A preliminary sketch in iron ore was drawn while the surface was still slightly wet, followed by an under-painting in grey or white.  
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 lustre to the surface. 
 
 
Painting Tradition
The paintings of Ajanta are the earliest representation of Indian painting tradition available to us.  

Even the earlier paintings at Ajanta, of the 2nd century BC, demonstrate a sophisticated technique, achievable only after centuries of     experimentation.  Unfortunately we have no trace of such experimentation. 

To get to know this great tradition one may turn to the treatises written based on the Ajanta experiment. 

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

‘Six Limbs of Painting’ according to Kama-sutra, a well-known treatise on erotics 
Rupa-bheda  -  differentiation  
Pramanam  -  proportion 
bhava  -  suggestion of action/mood  
lavanya-yojanam  -  infusion of grace  
sadrisham  -  resemblance 
varnika-bhangam  -  application of colour 

‘Eight Limbs of Painting’ according to Samarangana-sutra-dhara, a treatise on Architecture 
bhumi-bandhana  -  preparation of surface 
varnika  -  crayon work 
rekha-karma  -  outline work 
lakshana  -  features of face 
varna-karma  -  colouring 
vartanakarma  -  relief by shading 
lekhakarma  -  correction 
dvika-karma  -  final outline 
 
 
 
Paintings
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