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Folio 40 from a Kalpa-sutra: Text (recto); Birth of Mahavira (verso)

Unknown

1400

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Mughal Painting Renaissance Religious

Dominant colour

Folio 40 from a Kalpa-sutra: Text (recto); Birth of Mahavira (verso) is a 1400 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1400 · Mughal Painting
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

A queen lies on a bed, cradling a newborn in a golden swing above her. Servants fan her, and the room glows with warm colors—reds, blues, and gold. This painting comes from a sacred Jain text called the *Kalpa-sutra*, written over 600 years ago in Gujarat. It shows the birth of Mahavira, a spiritual leader. The artist didn’t sign it, but the style is unmistakable—flat figures, bright patterns, and no shadows, like a storybook come to life. If you like this, look up more paintings about western india, gujarat.

The story of this work

Overview

This page describes the joyous and peaceful pregnancy of Queen Trishala, mother of the 24th Jina Mahavira, which lasted 9 months, 7-and-a-half days. It goes on to say that Mahavira was born at midnight on the 13th day of the first month of summer, and all omens augured success. The painting shows the happy mother nestling her infant on a swing.