This rare and historically significant 1978 first edition brings together some of the finest surviving examples of Kandyan-period Buddhist temple murals, offering an essential visual record of Sri Lanka’s last major pre-modern school of painting. Written by acclaimed scholar Siri Gunasinghe, the book traces the island’s deep artistic heritage from the celebrated 5th-century Sigiriya frescoes to the village-based mural traditions that sustained Buddhist art during times of political decline.
 
Gunasinghe’s introduction explores how, for more than two millennia, Buddhism shaped the themes, symbolism, colour language, and spiritual tone of Sinhala painting—guiding both master artists and humble folk painters whose work carried the religious imagination of the people. The Kandyan murals reproduced here reveal a vivid visual culture filled with devotional scenes, Jataka tales, floral borders, divine figures, and richly patterned compositions.
 
The preface describes a major cultural preservation effort: hundreds of fragile temple shrines in Sri Lanka’s central and southern provinces were deteriorating, prompting a joint project by the Arts Council of Ceylon and the Department of Cultural Affairs to photograph these endangered murals. Over 700 slides were produced, many under challenging conditions by photographer Dunstan de Silva, whose work forms the basis of this album. The publication itself was brought to completion through the dedication of Dr. P. H. D. H. de Silva, Director of National Museums.
 
This book stands as a crucial documentary resource for anyone interested in:
Buddhist art and temple mural traditions
Sri Lankan cultural heritage and Kandyan history
South Asian visual culture and iconography
Art conservation and museum studies
 
A rare, museum-backed first edition that preserves the vital colours, narratives, and devotional spirit of Sri Lanka’s Buddhist artistic legacy.