LOT 1612

Very Large Jain Cosmic Man - Lokaturasha Painting on Cloth

INDIA, 20TH CENTURY AD

40 3/4 x 56 1/4 in. (5.2 kg, 103.5 x 143cm).

A large polychrome painting on cloth depicting the Cosmic Man presenting a cosmic map of the world, ornamented with fish and turtles or geometric forms in alternating concentric rings; temples, meditating figures, trees and animals in the field including elephants, birds, horses, goats and peacocks; framed by a tan border.

Personal collection of Harmadar Singh Thind; thence by descent.
Private family collection of a West London gentleman.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.10863-178260.

See The Metropolitan Museum, accession number 2016.499.3, for this genre; see the Kalakriti Archives, Hyderabad, India, for a broadly similar late 19th century cosmic man; see Sarmaya, Lokapurusha collections, accession number 2015.2.170, for comparable.

The Lokapurusha is the man who symbolises the universe in Jain cosmology; the worlds of the gods, humans and the damned are mapped on his body. Urdhva Loka, the world of gods, is situated on his upper chest above his arm bangles. Manushya Loka, the world of men, is represented in the wheel where each concentric circle holds an element of earthly life- rivers, mountains and animals. Adha Loka is the underworld of those burning in purgatory and is usually depicted near the feet of the Lokapurusha.