Indian Temple Fragment with Deity Motif

Single seated figure under a tall pointed arch, in a panel the color of skim milk.

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. Another kind of Jain cosmological painting shows historical figures and their attributes, such as Jina Parshva, the earliest Jain leader with historical evidence, who is meant to illustrate compassion. Tall square panel on a dark stand, with a seated figure in an arched niche at the center. Flame cutouts mark the upper corners, rows of pierced squares frame the figure, and the pale paint is mostly intact. It is 21 inches wide, 9 deep and 21.25 high.

Composed, centered, and neatly framed from every angle.