Apeyadana Temple: Monks and Devotees

MYANMAR, Mandalay, Bagan

This mural is painted on the inner wall of the corridor in the Apeyadana Temple. It is divided into two rows that show monks and devotees making offerings and paying respect to the Buddha. In the upper row, a line of monks wearing monastic robes painted various shades of purple are shown joining their palms in reverence. The monks have black hair, gray nimbuses, narrow eyes, and appear to be smiling slightly. They stand close together as a unified whole. Palm trees are painted in the background.
In the lower section, an offering table in the center separates groups of seated male and female devotees. The male devotees have topknots, and some have beards. They wear white cloths draped across their shoulders. On the right, female devotees are shown with long white cloths around their torsos and striped skirts colored in red, white, and black. The five female devotees on the left wear leaf-tipped headdresses. With only minor variations in the appearances of the figures, this image attains a harmonious simplicity.