937 - Page from the Jain text *Kalpa Sutra*

Page from the Jain text *Kalpa Sutra* India, probably 16th century or later. Paper, ink, miniature painting. Viewing dimensions: 28 × 13.3 cm. Framed under glass: 41 × 28 cm. Mat. Probably a page from the Kalpa Sutra, depicting Royal Raja Sawari with a majestic Ambabari elephant carrying the king and queen. Condition: Browned, wormholes, signs of wear. Elaborately illustrated folio leaf from a Jain manuscript known as the Kalpa Sutra. This canonical text of the Jain tradition addresses, among other things, the rules of monastic life, religious rituals, and the life stories and veneration of the Jain Tirthankaras. The leaf may date from the 16th century and is written in Devanagari script with black ink. Red ink was used specifically for punctuation, emphasis, and accents. Particularly impressive is the richly detailed miniature painting that adorns the manuscript leaf. Finely rendered figures stand out against a vibrant spectrum of red, blue, and gold, lending the depiction a special expressiveness.