A Tirthankara and the Eight Auspicious Symbols; Page from a Dispersed Kalpa Sutra (Jain Book of Rituals)
Unknown Artist
15th century
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions
4 3/8 x 10 5/8 in. (11.1 x 27 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India (Gujarat)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1955
Accession Number
55.121.38.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 15th-century page from a dispersed *Kalpa Sutra*, a foundational Jain text outlining rituals, monastic rules, and the lives of revered Tirthankaras, hails from Gujarat, India. At its center stands a Tirthank—one of Jainism's 24 spiritual liberators—flanked by the Eight Auspicious Symbols (*Ashtamangala*), including the swastika, lotus, and conch, which embody prosperity, purity, and cosmic harmony. These manuscripts were vital for Jain communities, serving as both devotional aids and educational tools during a golden age of Western Indian painting. Crafted with ink, opaque wate...