Artwork Page for Brahman Rishabhadatta's speech, folio 5 from a Kalpa-sutra

Details / Information for Brahman Rishabhadatta's speech, folio 5 from a Kalpa-sutra

Brahman Rishabhadatta's speech, folio 5 from a Kalpa-sutra

c. 1475–1500

Western India, Gujarat

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Medium
gum tempera and gold on paper
Measurements
Overall: 11.5 x 29.3 cm (4 1/2 x 11 9/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift in memory of Herbert F. Leisy 1979.23
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

The "further eye" extending beyond the bounds of the face is a characteristic of 15th-century painting.

Description

Manuscripts of the Kalpa-sutra are sacred embodiments of Jain doctrine. For this reason, they are worthy of beautification, adornment, and celebration by the inhabitants of heaven, such as the celestial dancers under cusped arches on this page.

The commissioning of a manuscript is believed to cleanse donors of the karmic effects of past wrongdoing. Wealthy donors gained prestige in the community with the costly production of a sacred manuscript.
Two horizontal gum tempera panels feature blocks of gold script on deep red backgrounds. In the top panel, three stylized, golden-skinned figures with large eyes and patterned robes stand or dance within narrow vertical compartments. The bottom panel replaces figures with circular red floral motifs. Intricate gold, red, and blue floral scrolls border each section. The gold text is arranged in dense rows, framed by geometric dividers and decorative floral margins.

Brahman Rishabhadatta's speech, folio 5 from a Kalpa-sutra

c. 1475–1500

Western India, Gujarat

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