NARRATOR:
The main figure in this intricately carved marble is the second jina, or teacher, in the Jain religion. He's called Ajitanatha, the invincible master, because he never succumbed to material comforts or temptations, and was never defeated by heretics. The diamond-shaped symbol on his chest signifies his divine status. He stands in the position representing body-abandonment, in which his arms hang at his side without touching his body. Jainism stresses asceticism, self-denial, and non-attachment to material possessions.
The Jain faith was established in India in the 6th century BC, about the same time as Buddhism-and is still practiced today. A group of 24 jinas, including Ajitanatha, are said to have preached the faith. They serve as spiritual guides between the physical world and the realm of eternal reward.
Etched on the base, below Ajintanatha's feet, is his symbol, an elephant. Before his birth, his mother dreamed of an auspicious elephant entering her mouth. The Jain teacher is surrounded by his divine assembly. On either side of his head, celestial musicians and adorants appear. And he's flanked by female figures, most likely eight of the sixteen goddesses of knowledge. Below his arms are two attendants; and beneath them are the idealized portraits of a kneeling couple, no doubt the donors who commissioned this sculpture.
Jina Ajitanatha and His Divine Assembly
1062
Asia: India, Gujarāt
On View
Because he wears clothing, this Jina can be associated with the Shvetambara (white-clad) order of Jainism. The inscription identifies him as Ajitanatha, the second of the twenty-four liberated teachers revered by all Jains. He stands in the conventional body-abandonment pose, in which his arms hang to the sides without touching his body. He is surrounded by a host of deities and celestial attendants, while the devout donors are seated at his feet.
Details
- Title: Jina Ajitanatha and His Divine Assembly
- Date: 1062
- Medium: White marble with traces of pigment
- Dimensions: 59 x 20 x 6 in. (149.9 x 50.8 x 15.2 cm)
- Credit Line: Norton Simon Art Foundation, Gift of Jennifer Jones Simon
- Accession Number: M.1998.1.S
- Copyright: © Norton Simon Art Foundation
Object Information
The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India
- Kimbell Art Museum, 1995-03-05 to 1995-05-28
- New Orleans, New Orleans Museum of Art, 1995-07-15 to 1995-09-17
- London, England, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1995-11-22 to 1996-02-18
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1994-11-06 to 1995-01-22
- Roy, N. and L. Owen, Minerva, pp. 33-37
- Markel, Stephen, Arts of Asia, pp. 71-82
- Pal, P. et al., The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India, pp. 31, 145, 259
- Knoke, Christine, Arts of Asia, p. 65
- Sotheby's, 1997,
- Pal, Pratapaditya, Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum, Volume 1: Art from the Indian Subcontinent, 2003, no. 127 pp. 166-167
- McArthur, Meher, The Arts of Asia: A Guide to the Materials, Techniques and Styles, 2005, pp. 232-233
- Campbell, Sara, Collector Without Walls: Norton Simon and His Hunt for the Best, 2010, cat. 1065 p. 368
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