Jina Mahavira
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Object Label
This sculpture depicts the Jina Mahavira, the founder of the Jain religion and a historical contemporary of the Buddha. Here, Mahavira is shown as a Digambara, or “person clothed by air.” The Digambara sect of Jainism practices nudity as a form of asceticism. His nudity reflects his commitment to the most extreme and highest level of Jain practice. Additionally, the Jina is depicted engaged in standing meditation. This form of meditation is performed motionless and upright with hands at the sides as a method of gaining control of the body and thoughts. Ultimately, this work is centered on the idea of denying the power of the body and, despite its use of nudity, has no sexual connotations. It is actually an act of religious devotion.
Caption
Jina Mahavira, 11th–12th century (image); 16th century (base and halo). Bronze, 24 1/2 × 18 1/2 × 7 7/8 in. (62.2 × 47 × 20 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund, 34.752a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 34.752_front_PS11.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Title
Jina Mahavira
Date
11th–12th century (image); 16th century (base and halo)
Geography
Possible place made: Karnataka, India
Medium
Bronze
Classification
Dimensions
24 1/2 × 18 1/2 × 7 7/8 in. (62.2 × 47 × 20 cm)
Credit Line
Robert B. Woodward Memorial Fund
Accession Number
34.752a-b
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
Does this have Indic /Buddhistic influences? Where is this from?
It absolutely does; great eye! This is a statue of Mahavira from India, specifically the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Mahavira lived about a generation before Shakyamuni Buddha and founded the Jain tradition.Images of Shakyamuni Buddha and Mahavira were both formed in the same cultural context and share a number of features. Both tie into the idea that a great or superhuman man can be recognized by certain physical characteristics, such as elongated arms. Both figures also represent the idea of asceticism, which means they are shown with shorn hair and no adornments (although images of the Buddha can venture away from this in certain times/places).
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