India - Jain Yellow bronze

Description Important votive Jain votive statue in yellow copper alloy, probably brass, cast in a single carved openwork piece. Western India, probably Rajasthan or Gujarat, first half of the 19th century. The composition belongs to the traditional type of Caubīsī or caturviṃśati-paṭṭa, gathering the twenty-four Tirthankaras. The principal Jina is depicted seated in meditation, hands joined in the lap, beneath an imposing honorary dais flanked by two elephants. He is surrounded by twenty-three small Jinas arranged in a sacred architecture that is particularly developed. The central Tirthankara bears a śrīvatsa lozenge on the chest. Two animals placed at the level of the throne could be interpreted as lions and may point toward a representation of Mahāvīra, whose emblem traditionally is the lion. However, this identification must remain cautious: these animals may also belong to the generic décor of the siṃhāsana, or throne with lions, and no individual lāñchana is sufficiently distinct to permit a definite attribution. The principal Jina is therefore presented as possibly Mahāvīra, without certainty. The reverse bears an important inscription incised by hand after casting, laid out in several horizontal and vertical registers, in a Nāgarī/Devanāgarī-type script. Several honorific śrī formulas seem recognizable, but the text has not been transcribed or translated with sufficient certainty. Consequently, no date is claimed on the basis of this inscription. The piece displays a dense and substantial casting, a hollow base, numerous openings, and fine irregularities characteristic of traditional lost-wax casting. The surface retains a brown-gold patina, localized coppery or pinkish tones, some green traces, and ancient deposits in the hollows. State of preservation: very good structural condition. One-piece casting, without crack, break, weld, restoration, or movable part. Ancient wear, small casting irregularities, light shocks and patina variations consistent with age and cult use of the object. Provenance: RM Lefevre Collection, Belgium, formed between 1979 and 2009; by descent in 2023. Dimensions: 23.5 × 15.3 × 7 cm Weight: 1,660 g video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/50twluidyk1xlt9r291ch/AGABpU_t6pfkQhpgfCgOiL8?rlkey=cl42tckknf44lt1bzrp6s912q&dl=0

Estimate:$1,345.53

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