A LARGE JAIN PATA OF PARSHVANATHA, GUJARAT, WESTERN INDIA, 18TH - 19TH CENTURY OR EARLIER

Published:
Asian Art Society, Online Catalogue IV, 1 January 2021, p. 90-91, no. 21 (presented by Joost van den Bergh, London, United Kingdom; text by Dr. Gautam Vajracharia, University of Wisconsin), and
illustrated on the cover of the catalog.


Tempera and gold on cloth. Parshvanatha is depicted in the center standing in koyotsarga protected by a hood of nagas issuing from his golden crown, draped in a white dhoti with foliate designs, his body adorned in gold and silver jewelry, all above a smaller figure of the tirthankara above a lotus. The central deity surrounded by several lobed and star-shaped panels (satkonas) representing the cosmos and its phenomena, with identifying inscriptions. The satkonas depict Sarvavinivritta, Sumangalanatha, and Krishnaranga to the left, and Kunthunatha, Parshvabhrata, and Nyamibhrata to the right.


Inscriptions:
According to Dr. Piotr Balcerowsczy (Chair of South Asian Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw): “These are mostly (90%) in Sanskrit, with some stray portions of Prakrit. In general, these are “recycled” verses coming from some literature - these were not composed by the author of the pata. My first guess would be that the origin of some of these verses could be Hemacandra’s Trịsạsṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita (but that should be checked). Another most possible option is Jinasena’s Parsvabhyudaya. The other source (that of the Prakrit passages) could be the respective chapter of Kalpa-sutra.”


Provenance
: Collection of José Ramón Pons Oliveras, Barcelona, Spain, 1998. Collection of Carlos Cruañas Dalmau, Barcelona, Spain, acquired from the above. A copy of the original invoice signed by José Ramón Pons Oliveras, dated 15 April 1998, addressed to Carlos Cruañas Dalmau, dating the present lot to the 17th-18th century, and stating a purchase for the present lot together with three other Indian paintings; also dated 17th-18th century, of which the present lot is the largest, of EUR 35,000 or approx.
EUR 63,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing, accompanies this lot. José Ramón Pons Oliveras (1928-2013) was a traveler, photographer, and cinematographer of nature, and a noted collector of Indian works of art. He travelled extensively to Asia, Oceania, Africa, and South America, filming in many isolated and inaccessible areas of the world. He acquired rare and important works of art during his travels to India in the 1970s, some of which have been sold by Christie’s, including a mottled red sandstone figure of a lion, Mathura, 2nd century, at Christie’s New York, 19 March 2013, lot 259.

Condition
: Good condition with minor wear, soiling, few loose threads, and tiny losses.

Dimensions: Size 190 x 167 cm


Parshvanatha
, the Jaina saint, is believed to be the 23rd Tirthankara. His life story is closely related to the cult of serpents. Although serpents are considered malevolent creatures by some, people in India believe that they are auspicious divine beings. High religions of India such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, show sympathy to the cult of serpent, which has remained popular since prehistoric time. The present pata shows the episode of the life of Parshvanatha when Yaksha Dharnendra and his wife Yakshini Padmavati endeavored to cover Parshvanatha by creating a canopy of snake-hoods over his head and lifting him up from the ground to save him from submergence.


When Parshvanatha was born
, his mother saw a serpent crawling near her side, and therefore she named her child Parshva. The auspicious appearance of the snake at his birth is also related to an important event that took place in the earlier life of Parshva, in which he was born as a prince. While wandering in the forest, the prince saw an ascetic, who was about to sacrifice a snake. Such a ritual act was mandatory for the Vedic ritual of fire worship that he was performing. The prince thought that killing a creature for a religious purpose is a cruel act. Therefore, he forcefully interrupted the ongoing ritual of fire worship and saved the life of the snake. The ascetic was so angry with the prince that his anger remained intact even after his death.


In the next cycle of birth
, the ascetic incarnated himself as the cloud demon, Meghmalin, and the prince as the Jain saint Parshvanatha. Likewise, the serpent was born as a divine serpent, Dharana, with multiple snake-hoods. The cloud demon created a devastating flood when Parshvanatha was practicing yoga in a standing posture called kayotsarga, a technical Sanskrit term, which can be translated as “out of physical body.” The flood almost submerged him. But the serpent Dharana, remembering that Parshvanatha protected him in his earlier life, came there to help him. He brought a giant lotus and placed it under Parshvanatha’s feet and spread his multiple hoods to shelter him from heavy rain. Thus, the Jain saint was able to continue his yogic practice without being disturbed by the flood.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related large and rare early example in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, accession number 2003-143-1, illustrated in Pratapaditya Pal, The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India, Los Angeles, 1994, no. 100, p. 227.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 13 September 2011, lot 1124
Price: USD 11,250 or approx.
EUR 13,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A Jain pata of Sahasraphana Parshvanatha, Gujarat, 15th century
Expert remark: Compare the related subject, also depicting Parshvanatha, and manner of painting. Note the earlier dating and the smaller size (83.8 x 54.6 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 12 September 2012, lot 617
Price: USD 10,000 or approx.
EUR 12,000
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A painting of Mahavira enthroned, Rajasthan or Gujarat, 18th/19th century
Expert remark: Compare the related Jain subject and similar manner of painting. Note the
much smaller size
(43.5 x 28.5 cm).