Items for Sale:    The Chinese Porcelain Company

Country of Origin India

Dated 8th century Medium pinkish sandstone

Dimensions 34.00inch wide   65.00inch high   15.50inch deep (86.36 cm wide  165.10 cm high  39.37 cm deep)

Literature

RELATED EXAMPLE:
Indian Museum, Calcutta, Pal 1994, cat. no. 22.

Description / Expertise

Fashioned in a thoroughly symmetrical and architectonic manner, the stele depicts the Jina Parsvanatha in kayotsarga, the body abandonment posture of meditation. Simple and serene in contrast to the elaborate image frame, the tautly drawn figure in unyielding posture bears elongated, pendant arms reaching to the knees, though not contacting the body: an attitude termed kayotsargamudra. The hair is composed of “snail shell” curls neatly arranged in tiers with a narrow, incised brow band following the hairline and distinguishing it from the forehead below. Above rises a modest usnisa, the cranial protuberance at the top of the head symbolizing great wisdom. Of noble bearing, the face with downcast, almond-shaped eyes and half closed eyelids appears expressive of profound meditation. Playing upon the full and sensuous lips is a gentle smile which is deeply drilled to generate character and depth of modeling. Like those of the familiar Buddha image, Parsvanatha’s earlobes are stretched from heavy earrings worn before renunciation. At the center of the chest is the auspicious shrivatsa symbol, a small diamond-like ornament ubiquitous to Jina figures.
Enhancing the liveliness of the composition, the stele is carved in receding planes with a seven-hooded snake canopy at center rising above Parsvanatha. Representing the serpent King Dharanendra, this image is accompanied by the yaksi Padmavati to the lower right who was a snake goddess similar to the Hindu Manasa. She is generally depicted with serpent form attributes as are the remaining stele figures with snake-like lower bodies that comprise her retinue.