THE ART SECTION. 
45 
materials of an exceptionally fine quality. The process of 
manufacture of a Kashmir shawl is an education in itself, 
while the finished product is a work of art of a very high 
quality. 
This completes the brief survey of the textile class, and 
we may now pass over to the southern half of this gallery 
where are displayed works in wood, metal, ivory, etc. 
The most interesting exhibits in this part of the collec¬ 
tion are undoubtedly those comprising the metal-work sec¬ 
tion. In the cases devoted to this aspect of Indian art 
some of the most beautiful specimens of indigenous statuary 
may be observed. As is now probably well known it was 
customary until a few years ago, to state that India was 
devoid of that particular aspect of sesthetics known as Fine 
Art. A broader point of view having now been taken of 
Oriental Art generally, a hitherto unexplored and express¬ 
ive field of art has been presented to us. Much might 
be said of the movement that has led up to this, but it is 
outside the limits of this review. The results, however, of 
its discernment are to be seen nowhere better illustrated than 
in the metal and picture galleries of the Indian Museum. 
These, the student is strongly urged to make himself ac¬ 
quainted with, and the general public is advised specially to 
inspect the collections of metal statuary and pictures. 
Of the former, with which we are now immediately con¬ 
cerned, the Art Section possesses over a hundred examples, a 
large proportion of which are unique. As it is obviously im- 
possible to refer here even to one quarter of these objects, a 
few examples only have been selected and will be described. 
One of the most striking is a small statuette in copper from 
Nepal of Maitreya, the coming Buddha. It stands about 
24 inches in height and is supposed to date from the 8th cen¬ 
tury A.D. The fine modelling and expressive pose of this 
figure should be noted, while the whole composition is an 
embodiment of restrained dignity. 
Another remarkable piece of metal statuary displayed in 
this collection is a figure in copper gilt of Padmapani, The 
Lord who looks down with pity ” is the guardian deity of Tibet. 
Padmapani is a deity, who, under the supreme Adi-Buddha’s 
