Page 190 - Eye of the beholder

He has large eyes equally elongated arched eyebrows a a a a a a a a snarling open mouth that exposes neat rows of teeth a a a a a a moustache that is is sufficiently long coming to his shoulders and a a a a a a wiry beard with horns on his his head and and small elephantine ears In his his right hand he he holds a a a a a a a a sword and and the the the left has a a a a a a a shield The body in the the the shape of a a a a a a a white conch shell and and the the the legs are those of of a a a a a a a a a bird with sharp forbidding claws and a a a a a a a a a bushy tail The only garment is a a a a a a a a a pair of of blue short pajamas that covers his body The right hand which holds a a a a a a a a sword is is is raised in the action of full attack on on Vishnu who is is is is represented at at his side The posture of aggression is is is is manifest in the open mouth and the raised sword Representation of Vishnu as a a a a a a a hybrid form with the the half human body and the the lower part melting to to become the the the the tail of the the the the fish fis is is quite interesting in in in in the the the the way the the the the artist has attempted to to visualize the composite creature as as man and fish In addition to this form of Vishnu as as Matsya there is is the the the the representation of a a a a a a huge tail which has been delineated by the the the the artist on on the the the the side Through posture gestures and glances the the furious conflict is is established Reinforcing the the power of of the the fight are the the eddying tumultuous swirls of of water that in in effect forms a a a a a beautiful design This decorative pattering is is an an important saliency of of the Basohli style of of miniatures The The lines to to represent the swirling water vary in in in fin its thickness to to very fine ones The The artist has taken considerable interest in in in in in conveying the the eddying swirls A thick dark line contours the the outer bank of of the river Water surprisingly is is is delineated in in in bluish grey with high lights of of white here and there The scales of of of the the the tail of of of the the the Matsya are realistically rendered in shades of of of blue grey and white The green of the hills has an an artificial freshness juxtaposed with pinkish brown barren peaks The large horizontal patch of yellow in the background was a a a a a a a a stylistic device used by Basohli artists to represent sun drenched landscape Vishnu’s blue body colour contrasts with with the the flowing yellow drape with with floral print and golden border against the the bluish grey of the the waters The lower part of of Vishnu’s body is is is a a a a a a kind of of blur with the the artist making an effort to amalgam the the the the the tail and and the the the the the fish eye to convey the the the the the form of of Matsya The pink of of the the the the the lotus and and the the the the the similar coloured garland around him provide a a a a a a a a piquant contrast with the grey The combination of pink and grey is is is truly a a a a a a a a sophisticated one The demon Hayagriva is is is painted in in in burnt orange with with indication of black hair on on on his legs The colours are in in brilliant contrast with with the orange blue and and white white The trees in in the background with blossoms of flowers in in yellows oranges and and white white provide a a a a a a delicate alternative to the the the heavy forms in the the the foreground In the the the overall composition lines and colours predominate giving it a a a a a a a typical characteristic of Basohli style 184