A black stone stele of a Rishabhanatha
Property of a Private European Gentleman
A black stone stele of a Rishabhanatha

INDIA, KARNATAKA, 12TH CENTURY

Details
A black stone stele of a Rishabhanatha
India, Karnataka, 12th century
Standing in kayotsarga on a lotus blossom beneath a parasol with hair curling at his shoulders, surrounded by twenty-three seated Jinas flanked by Gomukha and Chakreshvari, a foliate arch issued from the mouths of makaras and centered by a kirtimukha above, the base with his symbol of the bull inscribed
17 in. (43.2 cm.) high
Provenance
Private Collection, Belgium, 1962
Literature
J. Van Alphen, Steps to Liberation: 2,500 Years of Jain Art and Religion, 2000, p. 143, cat. no. 68
Exhibited
"Steps to Liberation -- 2,500 Years of Jain Art and Religion," Etnografisch Museum, Antwerp, 26 May-15 October, 2000

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Lot Essay

Also known as Adinatha, Rishabhanatha is the first of the 24 Jinas, identified by the attributes of the bull and the distinctive hairstyle. When King Rishabhanatha renounced the world, he began to uproot his hair in the presence of Indra. After removing five handfuls, Indra asked him to stop when he saw how beautifully his remaining hair graced his shoulders. According to Digambara sources he shaved all his hair and it grew back in long locks during meditation.

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