A Large Jain Painting on Cloth, Pata

WESTERN INDIA, CIRCA 16TH CENTURY

Details

A Large Jain Painting on Cloth, Pata
Western India, circa 16th Century
Finely painted with ascetics arranged in multiple registers on a red ground, with four tirthankaras at center surrounding a round medallion with Indra celebrating the birth of Mahavir, encircled by a river inhabitated by fish and a lotus petal border, the details finely painted and highlighted in gold
63 x 40 in. (160 x 101.6 cm.)

Lot Essay

It is said that when Mahavir was born, Indra multiplied himself five-fold: one to hold the baby, one to hold the chattri (or parasol) over Mahavir, two to wave flywhisks, and the fifth to dance while holding a thunderbolt; cf. S. Doshi, Masterpieces of Jain Painting, 1985, p. 113, fig. 12. Depicted below the central pavilion are the eight auspicious Jain symbols, as well as Parshva represented by the Naga at top.

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