Ajanta in Armenia- The most comprehensive depiction of civilized classical life

Recently, glimpses of the fresco versions of select Ajanta Cave paintings by Armenian artist Sarkis Katchadourian were shared by External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Twitter from his visit to the National Gallery of Armenia.

The stunning horseshoe-shaped Ajanta cave paintings were built meticulously with implements like hammer and chisel dating back to 2nd century B.C.E. – 650 C.E depict the life of Buddha.

The noted Armenian artist and diaspora painter, Sarkis Katchadourian was born in 1886 in Iran and educated in Paris. He had the reputation of working as an illustrator of Edward Fitzgerald’s Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. His works reflect the dispositions of an  Orientalist, with the touch of Persian sensibility anf grace the various museums of Europe, USA and India.

Interestingly his fresco versions are reported to have used different materials including clay and cow dung which were then painted in different colours including yellow, black, white, and brown. The paintings were done using a technique which has been called Tempera.

Apart from this,  some of his famous works include illustrations portraying  Armenian genocide and the plight of its victims, depiction of a poor girl dancing for money to survive, women refugees on a ship unaware of their destination, and unsheltered, desperate refugees in the vicinity of the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin

Being one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites, it’s a very sought after destination by tourists located in Maharashtra, the Ajanta caves are a sequence of 29 caves dating back to 2nd century B.C.E. till 650 C.E.

Leave a Reply

© Authindia 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Hey, Wait...

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to be a part of our thriving art community! 

Newsletter Form (#2)