Archaeology -- sculpture and wall paintings
Individual Documents
Description:
"In 1973, Jane Terry Bailey set out on her journey to Burma.
Despite various technical problems with her camera, she managed
to produce three articles, in 1976, 1978, and 1979 respectively, on
Burmese wall paintings from the seventeenth to the nineteenth
centuries. While these bear evidence of some of her difficulties,
they amply illustrate the variety of styles of painting found in post-
Pagan Burma. In re-working and adding to some of Bailey?s story
identifications, it is possible to view the murals at Tilokaguru cave-temple more closely within a religious context. Religion, more than
the style of the paintings, was clearly of paramount importance to
the Burmese who contributed to the construction and decoration
of the cave. The connection between the organisation of the murals
and the architecture is evident, as is a hierarchical vertical
progression from Hell near the floor of the cave to Enlightenment
near the ceiling. Clearly, Jane Terry Bailey?s work just began to
uncover the richness of wall paintings in Burma, and there is
much yet to explore."
Alexandra Green
Source/publisher:
SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research, Vol. 3, No. 2, Autumn 2005,
Date of publication:
2005-09-00
Date of entry/update:
2010-10-03
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
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Description:
"This article will compare the narrative constructions of early (eleventh
to thirteenth centuries) and late (seventeenth to early nineteenth
centuries) Burmese wall paintings to determine whether or not
"deep changeâ� has occurred. Although many of the same stories were
depicted in the murals during both time periods, the method by which
the visual stories were portrayed changed from an emphasis upon
iconic imagery to an exploration of narrative process. By analyzing
the narrative modes employed during the two periods, the emphases of
each are revealed. The changes that occurred in the Burmese murals
most likely relate to the increasing orthodoxy of Burmese Theravada
Buddhism and strengthening crown control over the country. Because
the teleological purpose of the murals remains virtually identical,
however, it is argued that no "deep changeâ� occurred in the murals
between the eleventh and nineteenth centuries."
Alexandra Green
Source/publisher:
"Journal of Burma Studies" Vol. 10, (2005/06)
Date of publication:
2006-00-00
Date of entry/update:
2008-12-31
Grouping:
Individual Documents
Language:
English
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