Aquatic animals scene in Tribhumi manuscript

Abstract

This article is part of the research on “Aquatic animals from Tribhumi manuscripts” The objective is to study the patterns of aquatic animals in the Traibhumi manuscripts from natural and imaginary water sources. And to interpret the aquatic animal paintings in the Tribhumi manuscripts in terms of symbolism and hidden meanings. The study will compare the paintings of aquatic animals in the Ayutthaya version of Tribhumi and the Thonburi version of Tribhumi together with the literature of “Ayutthaya version of Tribhumi” that talking about various aquatic animals to find the hidden meanings in the images. This is because the space of the Tribhumi manuscripts is quite limited, so the artists paints as short and to the point as possible. By selecting images that can communicate meaning well and putting them in each scene and episode of the story. The importance of the study is therefore to study the creativity of the artists who create a variety of paintings about aquatic animals, including hell animals. Can classify the styles of aquatic animal paintings in the Tribhumi manuscripts into 2 types: 1. Common aquatic animals appear in water sources close to the shore. The characteristics of these animals are recognizable and can be referenced with natural aquatic animals. 2. Aquatic animals with special imaginative characteristics or mixed animals like the animals of the Himalayas will appear in the ocean far from the shore with the image of violent waves. As for the image of hell creatures living in water, it is a surreal image that the artist has conveyed to express fear. With the structure of the composition and the use of colors, which reflect creativity in a literary style, it is a simulation of an abstract image to become concrete. Therefore, no matter what type of aquatic animal it is, it all communicates meaning with the overall composition of the image.