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    Melikian Collection > Collections > Artworks > Asia / Africa > Jain Leaves


Original TItle: The Fourteen Marvelous Jewels of the Universal Sovereign and the Seven Jewels of Vasudeva
MATERIAL: Paper
DIMENSIONS: 105 x 260 mm
COMPONENTS: Gouche on book paper. Leaf show the universal ruler with his 14 marvelous jewels on one side and the eight auspicious objects on the other, with a protective thicker leaf which has a floral pattern o the outside and Jain text written on the inside.
CONDITION: Margins damaged.
NOTES: See C. Caillat and R. Kumar, "The Jain Cosmology", 1981, items 81 and 91, for equivalent leaves from Gujarat in a more southern style.
ITEM ID: 4332
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Jain Leaves

DATE
Century: 18th (1701-1800)

Like the Tirhankaras, the cakravartins (universal rulers) belong to a category of great men (manapurusas) to whom the the universal history of the Jains attributes an important role. This picture show the cakravartin and the 14 jewels which assure him victory an success; some are animate and some are inanimate. They are, from let to right, above, his chaplain, general, treasures, architect, chief queen and his horse. From let to right below are his elephant, discus, umbrella, sceptre, chowrie, sword, gem-mirror and magic jewel.

Vasudeva is an epithet of Krishna whose myth appears to have been absorbed by Jainism at a very early period. Like Krishna, Vasudeva is represented as blue. Vasudeva as an avatar of Vishnu is associated with a group of seven attributes which are shown in this painting: the disc-jewel, the bow-jewel (show with its quiver), the sword-jewel, the gem-jewel, the mace-jewel, the garland-jewel and the conch-jewel.