Artwork

Folio 22 from a Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra: Jain Monk with disciple and two laymen, two Nuns, and a laywoman (recto); Text (verso)

Folio 22 from a Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra: Jain Monk with disciple and two laymen, two Nuns, and a laywoman (recto); Text (verso) is an unspecified painting by the Yōga artist Unknown. It dates from 1275 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting is a folio from a 13th-century Sanskrit manuscript on yoga and meditation, known as the Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra.

Accession no.: 1971.129
Credit line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund

About this work

You see a bright, flat page from an old book: a teacher on a throne, a student holding a book, and four listeners below, two men, two nuns, and one woman.

You see a bright, flat page from an old book: a teacher on a throne, a student holding a book, and four listeners below, two men, two nuns, and one woman.

The painting comes from a yoga manual written in the 1200s. It shows how knowledge was passed down in Jain communities. The colors are simple and bold, with no shading to make things look real.

To see more like this, look up western india, gujarat, 13th century.

Overview

This painting is a folio from a 13th-century Sanskrit manuscript on yoga and meditation, known as the Yoga-shastra of Hemachandra.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts a Jain monk seated on a throne, facing a disciple with a sacred text on a stand between them, while a group of lay followers and nuns observe from below, illustrating the transmission of teachings within a Jain community.

Technique & Style

Characterized by simple, bold colors and a flat, two-dimensional style, the painting lacks shading or attempts to create a realistic representation, reflecting the artistic conventions of its time and region.

Context

Produced in Western India, likely in the region of Gujarat, the work is representative of the art and spiritual practices of Jain communities during the 13th century.