Question

Why are the Ajanta murals from the Gupta period not classified as true frescoes?

• A. They were carved instead of painted.
• B. They used only natural dyes on stone walls.
• C. They were made using metallic pigments and gold leaf.
• D. They were painted on dry plaster rather than wet plaster.

Answer 1

Answer:

D. They were painted on dry plaster rather than wet plaster.

Paintings of Gupta Period Traces of paintings from this period can be seen at Ajanta, Bagh, Badami, and several other locations. The mural paintings at Ajanta are not true frescoes, as frescoes are created on wet plaster, whereas these murals were painted after the plaster had dried. The surface preparation for these artworks was relatively simple. The art found in Ajanta and Bagh represents the Madhyadesa School of painting at its finest. Among the most exquisite examples of Buddhist art from the Gupta period are the murals in the Ajanta caves. These vibrant paintings, illustrating scenes from the life of the Buddha and stories from the Jatakas, have remarkably retained their rich colors through the centuries.