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The Lion's Cave with Sthulabhadra and His Sisters, Folio 60 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra — Western India, Gujarat

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Written by: Erik DuboisSenior Specialist · Illumination (Tezhip)
Illumination (Tezhip) · Catalogue no. 20400
Western India, Gujarat

The Lion’s Cave with Sthulabhadra and His Sisters, Folio 60 (verso), from a Kalpa-sutra

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
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This manuscript is open to a page with a painting that depicts the story of a Jain monk who transformed himself into a composite beast when his sisters, two nuns, came to visit him. Terrified, the nuns ran to a senior monk, at the lower left, who admonished their brother for his overly prideful display of power. Remarkably, this story is not told in the text itself, which contains only their names among a list of prominent Jain teachers. The painting would remind a reader of the story that is found in many commentaries to the text.

Artist / MakerWestern India, Gujarat
Datec. 1450
Culture / OriginWestern India, Gujarat
MediumGum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
DimensionsOverall: 12.5 x 25.7 cm (4 15/16 x 10 1/8 in.)
DepartmentIndian and Southeast Asian Art
TypePainting
About the Artist

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Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

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