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Altarpiece

1515 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

"A pancatirthika brass image with copper alloy of Paravanatha in crystal (missing). Two seated and two standing Tirthankaras are shown around the main image. Two chauri-bearers and two musicians are also shown inside the frame. Perhaps the yaksa- Kubera and the Yaksi- Ambika are shown seated at the proper right and proper left, respectively. On the pedestal of the throne a snake, the symbol (lanchana) of Parsvanatha is shown together with the elephant and lion motifs of the throne pedestal. At the front of the pedestal below in the middle two deers are shown flanking a dharma-cakra, and on both sides of it nine planets (nava-graha) are given. Below that on both sides two standing figures, perhaps a male at the left and a female at the right, are shown with folded hands. They may be the donor-couple. In the middle the four-armed figure is perhaps Padmavati, the Sasana-devi of Parvsnatha. On top two elephants are shown on each side pouring water from a jar on the head of the Jina, and Garuda is with folded hands in the middle. The summit of the shrine is decorated with a pot and branches attached to it." Gauriswar Bhattacharya, 13.6.06.
Inscription on the reverse:


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Figure
  • Throne
Materials and techniques
Brass with copper alloy and crystal
Brief description
Altarpiece with enthroned Jina Parsvanatha, Gujarat, brass with copper alloy and crystal, A.D. 1515.
Physical description
"A pancatirthika brass image with copper alloy of Paravanatha in crystal (missing). Two seated and two standing Tirthankaras are shown around the main image. Two chauri-bearers and two musicians are also shown inside the frame. Perhaps the yaksa- Kubera and the Yaksi- Ambika are shown seated at the proper right and proper left, respectively. On the pedestal of the throne a snake, the symbol (lanchana) of Parsvanatha is shown together with the elephant and lion motifs of the throne pedestal. At the front of the pedestal below in the middle two deers are shown flanking a dharma-cakra, and on both sides of it nine planets (nava-graha) are given. Below that on both sides two standing figures, perhaps a male at the left and a female at the right, are shown with folded hands. They may be the donor-couple. In the middle the four-armed figure is perhaps Padmavati, the Sasana-devi of Parvsnatha. On top two elephants are shown on each side pouring water from a jar on the head of the Jina, and Garuda is with folded hands in the middle. The summit of the shrine is decorated with a pot and branches attached to it." Gauriswar Bhattacharya, 13.6.06.
Inscription on the reverse:
Dimensions
  • Crystal height: 10.6cm
  • Crystal width: 8.4cm
  • Bronze backplate height: 36.5cm
  • Bronze backplate width: 24.9cm
Marks and inscriptions
Text: samvat 1572 varse caitra-vadi 3 vudhe ukesa-vamse bhatia-gotre sa. velasana- sa. hararsa-bha. desai-dvitiya-ramgai-desai-putrena sa. nagarajena bha. narigade.-putra-bha. vaca-sa.hamsa- bhoja-virapala-pautra-padamasi-pramukha-parivara-yutena sri-parsvanatha-bimbam karita[m] prati // sthitam sri-kharatara-gacche srih // jinaharsa-suri-tata(t)-patte sri-jinacamdra-suribhih // patana-vastavyah/ subham bhavatu // cha // (vastavyah written below)
Translation
Trans: "In the Vikrama year 1572 (i.e, 1515 AD) on Wednesday, the 3rd day of the dark half of (the month of) Caitra (March), the image of the illustrious Parsvanatha was caused to be made by Sah Velasana and Sah Harsa belongind to to the Ukesa family and the Bhatia gotra with their respective wives, Desai and Ramgai, Desai with her son, Sah Nagaraja, wife Narigadevi, son ( and his) wife Vaca (and sons), Hamsa, Bhoja and Virapala, grandson Padamasi, etc. family members.(The image) was installed by the illustrious Jinacandrasuri, belonging to the lineage of the illustrious Jinaharsasuri belonging to the Kharatara- gaccha and resident of Patan. Let there be bliss." Gauriswar Bhattacharya, 13 July 2006. (This incription was read and translated by Dr. Moti Chandra, 8/8/62, but his reading was not all correct and the translation was not quite faithful).
Gallery label
ALTARPIECE WITH ENTHRONED JINA PARSVANATHA Rock crystal and copper alloy Gujarat, Western India Dated 1515 (Samvat 1572) IM.3&A-1939 Given by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh (25/09/2000)
Object history
Given by Dr. W.L. Hildburgh, F.S.A.
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic reference
According to Dr U P Shah, the crystal image cannot have belonged to this shrine piece. JCI 11.5.62. Inscription first translated by Dr Moti Chandra, 8/8/62
Collection
Accession number
IM.3&A-1939

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Record createdNovember 22, 2001
Record URL
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