Artwork
Jain Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Royal Follower, colophon page from a Story of the Religious Teacher Kalaka (Kalakacharya-katha, verso)
Jain Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Royal Follower, colophon page from a Story of the Religious Teacher Kalaka (Kalakacharya-katha, verso) is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Devachandra. It dates from 1290 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The painting is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is identified by the accession number 1971.
This colophon page was painted by Devachandra in Gujarat in 1279. It was created as part of a manuscript of the Kalakacharya-katha, a Jain religious narrative. The work is now held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The painting is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is identified by the accession number 1971.118.8. According to the Wikidata record, the work is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings. The provided sources confirm the Cleveland Museum of Art as the holding institution and supply the accession number, but they do not document any exhibition history for the work.
Context
Created in 1279 by the artist Devachandra, this work originates from Gujarat and represents a significant example of religious art within the Jain tradition. As a colophon page from the Story of the Religious Teacher Kalaka, it illustrates the narrative and devotional practices of the period. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it serves as a key artifact for understanding the visual culture of thirteenth-century western India.
Its attribution to Devachandra places it within a specific lineage of manuscript illumination that flourished in the region during the late medieval era.
Overview
This painting, titled Jain Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Royal Follower, was created by Devachandra in 1290. It serves as a colophon page from a manuscript known as the Story of the Religious Teacher Kalaka (Kalakacharya-katha, verso). The artwork is presently housed in the collection of The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a significant example of religious manuscript illustration from its period.
Subject & Meaning
The illustration depicts a Jain monk, identifiable by his simple attire, holding a flower to his nose, a gesture often associated with sensory engagement or meditation. A royal figure, distinguished by their posture of respect, kneels before the monk with folded hands, signifying veneration. This scene likely illustrates a key moment or a devotional act within the larger narrative of the Kalakacharya-katha, a prominent Jain text recounting the life of the revered teacher Kalaka.
Artist & collection
Artist
Devachandra made delicate drawings on palm-leaf manuscripts in 13th-century India.
- Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: The Story of Kalakacharya: Colophon Page, Text (recto)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Colophon page, Kalpa-sutra and The Story of Kalakacharya of Devachandra: Monk Teaching Lay Disciple (recto)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Colophon page, Kalpa-sutra and The Story of Kalakacharya of Devachandra: Monk Teaching Lay Disciple
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Colophon page, Kalpa-sutra and The Story of Kalakacharya of Devachandra: Monk Teaching Lay Disciple (verso)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: The Story of Kalakacharya of Devachandra: Text (recto)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Kalpa-sutra: Text (verso)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: The Story of Kalakacharya of Devachandra: Brahmanshanti Yaksha (verso)
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Kalpa-sutra: The Monk Gautama, Enthroned (recto)
Jain Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Royal Follower, colophon page from a Story of the Religious Teacher Kalaka (Kalakacharya-katha, verso)
Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Lay Disciple: Folio 141 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra and Story of Kalakacharya
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Kalpa-sutra (verso)
Folio 141, from a Kalpa-sutra and Story of Kalakacharya: Text (recto); Monk Holding a Flower Venerated by a Lay disciple (verso)
Monk Holding a Flower: Folio 2 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra and Story of Kalakacharya
Leaf from a Jain Manuscript: Yoga-shastra: Jain monk with Disciple and Two Laymen, Two Nuns and a Laywoman below (verso)
Folio 141 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra and Story of Kalakacharya