Artwork Page for Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra

Details / Information for Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra

Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra

c. 1475–1500

Western India, Gujarat

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Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Overall: 12.5 x 25.7 cm (4 15/16 x 10 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Edward L. Whittemore Fund 1932.119.57.a
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

The founder of Jainism, Mahavira, had 11 main disciples, all depicted as identical to one another. They all sit in a meditative posture, with the left hand in the lap, while the right hand is in the gesture of teaching. They each have shaven heads, elongated earlobes, and white robes, indicating that this manuscript was used by the Shvetambara (White Clad) sect.

In the upper central grid, decorated with flowers, is a stylized om-hrim, mystic syllables visually combined to invoke the essence of all Jain teaching.
A horizontally oriented manuscript page features nine rows of dense, black script framed by two thick red vertical bars. A solid red circle anchors the center of the cream paper, displacing the middle rows of text. Small, rhythmic red slashes punctuate the compact lettering. In the wide margins, faint red stamps and weathered brown stains appear, lending a textured, historical quality to the balanced composition.

Text, Folio 57 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra

c. 1475–1500

Western India, Gujarat

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