Painting of Jain Tirthankar, Mahavir, 14th Century, signifies the advent of Jainism in South India.

Appraised by Christie’s in 1988. The blue dye used on this cloth painting, derived from a particular stone is a significant feature for dating paintings.

Mahavir sits under the Shaal Vriksh Tree also known as the Tree of Life. The people found at the bottom of the painting are members of the royal family of Mysore. The delicate and restrained use of ancient dyes results in a truly exquisite and subtle artefact. In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the dharma. The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha, which is a fordable passage across the sea of interminable births and deaths, the saṃsāra.