Title
A Jain paradise
1801
Artists
Unknown Artist
-
Details
- Place where the work was made
-
Pali
→
Rajasthan
→
India
- Cultural origin
- Jain
- Date
- 1801
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- opaque watercolour on cloth
- Dimensions
- 101.0 x 62.3 cm
- Credit
- Gift of Dr Jim Masselos 2021
- Location
- South Building, lower level 1, Asian Lantern galleries
- Accession number
- 109.2021
- Share
-
About
The principles of the Indian Jain faith, which emphasises peace, truth and tolerance, came to be known through the teachings of Mahavira who lived in the sixth century before the current era. Mahavira taught that all living things have souls of equal value. With a strong Jain history, the town of Pali in Marwar is regarded as a centre for Jain painting and manuscripts. Painted on cloth, this extraordinary image shows a six-storey celestial palace festooned by flags and inhabited by monks, dancers, the lay faithful and deities. Paintings such as this were stored rolled up in Jain libraries and only brought out for occasional events.
-
Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Intimate Encounters: Indian paintings from Australian collections, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 22 Feb 2007–04 May 2007
Elemental, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 Jul 2022–2024
-
Bibliography
Referenced in 2 publications
-
Christies, London (Editor), Islamic, Indian, South-East Asian manuscripts, miniatures and works of art, London, 25 Nov 1985, 97. lot 167
-
Pratapaditya Pal and Pratapaditya Pal, Dancing to the flute: music and dance in Indian art, Sydney, 1997, 140, 141 (colour illus.). cat no. 87
-
-
Provenance
Christie's London, 25 Nov 1985, London/England, offered for sale, 25 November 1985.
Jim Masselos, 25 Nov 1985-2021, Sydney/New South Wales/Australia, purchased from Christie's auction house. Donated to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, June 2021.