Not on display

Siddhachakra

Shrine
Early 19th century (made)
Place of origin

Disc with a Jain Siddhachakra diagram. Portable or domestic shrine. Painting in watercolour on paper, set within a brass disc. In the central circle of the design a white figure of a Jain arhat sits in the meditation posture on a throne which stands in front of a low screen or railing. The central circle is surrounded by eight trefoil medallions in a shape possibly intended to suggest lotus petals. Four of these have human figures alternating with four with inscriptions only. The top medallion shows a red figure of a Siddha or perfect soul seated in meditative posture in the crescent representing the abode of perfected souls. The other three figures are depicted wearing white robes, as Jain monks of the Shvetambara sect do, and have bodies coloured variously gold, green and blue. They represent the ācārya, upādhyāya and sadhu. Between the outer edges of each of these medallions is a symmetrical foliage design.

Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Shrine
  • Lid
TitleSiddhachakra
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Siddhachakra diagram. Domestic or portable Jain shrine, painting on paper in bronze. Western India, probably 19th century.
Physical description
Disc with a Jain Siddhachakra diagram. Portable or domestic shrine. Painting in watercolour on paper, set within a brass disc. In the central circle of the design a white figure of a Jain arhat sits in the meditation posture on a throne which stands in front of a low screen or railing. The central circle is surrounded by eight trefoil medallions in a shape possibly intended to suggest lotus petals. Four of these have human figures alternating with four with inscriptions only. The top medallion shows a red figure of a Siddha or perfect soul seated in meditative posture in the crescent representing the abode of perfected souls. The other three figures are depicted wearing white robes, as Jain monks of the Shvetambara sect do, and have bodies coloured variously gold, green and blue. They represent the ācārya, upādhyāya and sadhu. Between the outer edges of each of these medallions is a symmetrical foliage design.
Object history
Purchased by the Museum in London in 1972.
Bibliographic reference
For comparison see Jain, Jyotindra, and Fischer, Eberhard. Jaina Iconography. Leiden (E.J. Brill), 1978. Part 2. Plate IV.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.315-1972

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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