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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XV. 



explain the process by which the colours have been permanently 

 •' fixed," or to attempt to " restore " them in any degree. 



(4) " Thus, from Mr. Bell's own standpoint, there is nothing to 

 prevent the supposition that these are [not] the only existing frescoes 

 of many that were painted, not only at Sigiriya but in other places 

 as well, in the fifth century of the Christian era." 



Nothing at all, as far as Sigiriya is concerned, but a great deal as 

 regards " other places" throughout Ceylon. If I have examined one 

 ancient cave vihare, &c, in the Central, North-Western, and North- 

 Central Provinces, I have examined well nigh a thousand— and any 

 painting rivalling the art displayed in the Sigiriya frescoes I have still 

 to find. The surface painting faintly traceable on the " altars " of 

 some of the larger dagabas of Anuradhapura, on the walls of the so- 

 called " Demala-mahaseya " at Polonnaruwa, or in the caves of 

 Handa-gala and Dimbula-gala, is not devoid of merit, but belongs to a 

 lower grade of art than the frescoes of Ajanta and Sigiriya. 



(5) Mr. Fernando harps on the allusion in the Mahawansa to 

 the use of " vermilion paint mixed with tala oil " for the ornamenta- 

 tion of Ruwanveli Dagaba when built by King Dutugemunu (first 

 century B.C.) ; and quotes Sir Emerson Tennent in support of the 

 " claim to the discovery of oil-painting on behalf of the Sinhalese," 

 upon this single shred of not too reliable evidence. 



Very good : let us admit, for the moment, that the honour of the 

 discovery actually rests with the Sinhalese, — though it really needs 

 considerably more proof ; let us go further and assume that Dutu- 

 gemunu did not go to the continent of India for his artists — as, for all 

 the Mahawansa tells us, he well may — what then ? He must be a 

 bold man that would assert that the descendants of the Sinhalese 

 (if Sinhalese they were) who painted the Anuradhapura Dagaba 

 " altars " were capable of designing, and carrying out, the life-like 

 frescoes of Sigiriya. Moreover, as is well known, Oriental art is- 

 strongly conservative — follows slavishly stereotyped forms and 

 methods. Is it probable — is it even possible — that the art of fresco- 

 painting among the Sinhalese could have risen to the high level of 

 Sigiriya in the fifth century, and gradually degenerated into the 

 travesty which offends the eye and excites ridicule at the modern 

 Buddhist temples of Ceylon ? 



(6) " Kasyapa was a prisoner-king. Betaking himself to the Rock 

 Fortress of Sigiriya, he lay for eighteen long years in concealment, 

 fearful of the vengeance of his brother Moggallana, from which he 

 only escaped by the crime of suicide. It is difficult to understand the 

 opportunities which this prisoner-king would have had to communicate 

 with India, and to import therefrom ' exotic ' artists." 



" Prisoner-king, " — presumably a sort of " ticket-of-leave " prince ; 

 allowed by the considerateness of a younger brother to have for only 

 " eighteen long years " the run of the Island, provided he kept in 

 decent " concealment." To Kasyapa's credit, be it said, he behaved 

 exceedingly well during his period of " probation " ; he committed no 

 more murders ; he did not worry Moggallana (who, by the way, 

 appears to have found it " convenient " to cross over to India, so as 

 not to embarrass his elder brother in the least) ; he merely amused 

 himself by erecting, at vast labour and expense, a magnificent royal 

 citadel — just to show what honest " concealment " meant. Of course, 

 under such conditions, intercourse with India would be quite impossible. 



