The correct option is 1 and 3 only.
Explanation
The Chola period (9th-13th century CE) represents a zenith in Dravidian art and architecture. Apart from monumental temples and bronze sculptures, the Cholas patronized mural paintings, often executed using the fresco technique within temple structures.
- Statement 1 is Correct: The Vijayalaya Choleeswaram temple at Nartamalai (Pudukkottai district) contains early examples of Chola paintings. These murals are significant for understanding the stylistic evolution of painting in the region during the early Chola phase.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Brihadeswara Temple (Thanjavur) is not devoid of mural paintings. It houses magnificent Chola frescoes located in the narrow circumambulatory passage (pradakshinapatha) surrounding the sanctum sanctorum. These paintings were discovered in the 1930s underneath a layer of later Nayaka period paintings.
- Statement 3 is Correct: The paintings in the Brihadeswara temple are executed on the massive walls of the vimana structure. Specifically, they cover the walls of the dark passage that runs between the inner wall of the sanctum and the outer wall of the vimana. In the context of this question, the description refers to their location on the structural walls of the vimana.
Key Takeaway: Chola paintings are classic murals found in the pradakshinapatha of the Brihadeswara Temple and at Nartamalai. A crucial distinction is that Chola frescoes were often covered by later Nayaka period paintings.