Jain portable shrine for the Jina Parshvanatha

ca. 14th century

Like a miniature temple, this metal shrine held an image of a perfected being, the Jina Parshvanatha, whose meditating form would have been sheltered by a multiheaded cobra. Just below where Parshvanatha would have sat appear a row of small figures representing the nine celestial bodies—seven planets, the sun, and two forms of the moon. Like a king or deity, the jina (spiritual victor, perfected being) was sheltered by an umbrella, backed by a halo, and even bathed by elephants.

Gilded bronze, silver

9 1/2 x 6 x 4 1/2 in. (24.13 x 15.24 x 11.43 cm)

Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection

68.158

Now on view at the Asian Art Museum

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.

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