Materials and techniques: Early Buddhist wall paintings and sculptures at Sumda Chun, Ladakh

Abstract

An assemblage of Buddhist wall paintings and sculptures dating to the twelfth/early thirteenth century are found distributed over the interiors of the temple complex at Sumda Chun, Ladakh. Detailed investigations carried out as part of a conservation project shed light on their antiquity and production technology. The sculptures are constructed with fine mud mortar applied over a wooden armature and affixed to the walls without any support from the ground. In both the sculptures and wall paintings, the paint layer is applied over a thin gypsum ground that functions as a white colourant where unpainted. For the paint layer, azurite, vermilion, and orpiment are the dominant mineral pigments utilized. Minium (red lead) has been used for preparatory drawings and as paint. Highlighting of special areas was achieved using a laminate of tin–lead alloy and gold on relief. Overall the material and techniques employed in the execution of the wall paintings and sculptures are consistent with those reported for other early sites in the region.

Keywords:

• Buddhist
• Wall paintings
• Sculptures
• Early period paintings
• Sumda Chun
• Ladakh
• Technology
• Painting technique

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Raja Jigmed W. Namgyal (Secretary, NIRLAC) for all the encouragement and assistance provided throughout the project, his personal involvement and enthusiasm being a constant source of inspiration. Tara Sharma and Stanzin Dorjey are gratefully acknowledged for professionally coordinating all administrative matters. We are obliged to the tsogspa, the resident monks, and the people of Sumda for the hospitality extended to us during our stay at site. The authorities of Hemis monastery are acknowledged for permissions provided. We thank Ajaydeep Singh Jamwal and his team of architects who made relevant drawings and photographs available to us. We are also grateful to Sharon Cather and David Park of the Courtauld Institute of Art for their help and advice in the preparation of this article. Thanks are due to Instituto Universitario de Restauración del Patrimonio, Valencia, and Art Access and Research (UK) Ltd., London, for the analysis of samples taken from the site. Many thanks are also due to Christian Luczanits for his opinion and advice in various matters pertaining to the work carried out, his site visits being especially rewarding for the team. We are finally much obliged to the World Monuments Fund (WMF), especially Mark Weber, for the generous support accorded to the project.