Untitled

Unknown

ca. 1490 · Ink and opaque watercolor on paper · Asian Art

In Jain cosmology, Shakra’s heaven is a blissful place where the jinas reside for eternity. It is populated by celestial dancers, seen here as beautiful maidens sensuously poised in the text margins. These scenes are echoed in the textual descriptions of the Kalpasutra celebrating Mahavira. The manuscript displays an innovative use of red, blue, and green marginal designs that anticipates sixteenth-century styles and lavish gold script on a red ground.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1490

Medium

Ink and opaque watercolor on paper

Culture

India (Gujarat)

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Margery and Harry Kahn Gift, 1977