Mahavira and tirthankaras
ca. 11th century
Mahavira, the teacher of Jainism, was a contemporary of the historical Buddha. In this panel he is seated in meditation on a lion throne. The lion is his emblem which distinguishes him from other tirthankaras. The lozenge-shaped form on his chest identifies him as a tirthankara. Here he is surrounded by other tirthankaras seated in identical poses, a host of attendants, and two elephants hovering above his throne. The nudity of the figures and the srivatsa symbols on their chests distinguish them from images of the Buddha.
Sandstone
23 x 15 x 6 in. (58.42 x 38.1 x 15.24 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
66.42
Provenance: [William H. Wolff, Inc., New York]; purchased from gallery by Seattle Art Museum (Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection), March 28, 1966
