Indian Temple Fragment with Deity Motif

Figure framed by twin pillars sits in a gray-green panel with fretwork at the base.

This temple fragment with deity motif is Jain, from Bhojpur, Kutch District, India, and dates to the mid 19th century. It is carved & painted stone. The origins of Jainism are described as obscure, yet it carries a deep body of literature and doctrine, including artistic depictions of history, meditation, religious practice, ethics and cosmology. Slab bearing a seated figure in a central niche flanked by slim columns. Gray-green paint covers the surface, a band of pierced geometric squares runs along the bottom, and flame motifs rise at the top corners. It is 22 inches wide, 9 deep and 22.5 high.

Columns, cutouts, and a very upright occupant.