Jain Chitrakala - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Jain Chitrakala" by Ushakiran Jain, focusing on its key aspects:

Jain Painting: A Beautiful Expression of the Soul

The book "Jain Chitrakala" by Ushakiran Jain explores Jain painting as a beautiful expression of the soul, deeply intertwined with the history of Indian culture and art. The author asserts that while evidence of Indian painting dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization, concrete examples from earlier periods are scarce due to the perishable nature of materials like houses and textiles. However, after the time of Lord Mahavir, there's a continuous increase in public interest in painting, leading to significant development and the evolution of various traditions within Indian art, including Jain painting.

Origins and Evolution of Jain Painting:

Early Forms: The initial stages of Jain painting are found in occasional mural paintings. Subsequently, a widespread tradition emerged on palm leaves, wooden boards, and later, paper. Many of these surviving examples date from the Apabhramsha period.
Historical Debate: Historians hold varying opinions on the antiquity and origin of Jain painting, acknowledging that further research is needed. However, based on available evidence, it's clear that Jain painting has existed as an integral part of Indian painting since its inception.
Precedence in Paper Art: Citing Vachaspati Gairola, the book highlights Jain art's prominent position, possibly holding the first place in paper-based painting in Indian art history, predating the oldest known Rajput paintings by a century.
Digambara and Shvetambara Contributions: While the Digambara tradition is noted for its prevalence in sculpture, architecture, and temple art, the Shvetambara tradition made significant contributions to painting. Jain painting flourished in Gujarat, then developed in Rajputana, and eventually merged into the "Rajput style" after shedding Iranian influences.
Resilience and Adaptation: Despite a decline in progress during the developing Mughal style before the 12th century, Jain painting revived in centers like Abu and Girnar after the destructions of Mahmud Ghaznavi. Later, Jain artists drew inspiration from Rajput and Mughal styles, broadening their artistic scope.

Content and Themes in Jain Painting:

Literary Connections: Jain painting is deeply connected to Jain literature. Texts like the Kalpasutra contain pictorial descriptions of Lord Mahavir. The Prashna Vyakarana Sutra categorizes paintings into three types: sachitta (living beings), achitta (inanimate objects), and mishra (mixed).
Artistic Techniques and Materials: Paintings created on wood, cloth, and stone using multiple colors were called "lepakam." The text also mentions Alpana paintings (folk art) and paintings on clay, stone, and ivory.
Narrative Depictions: Literary works like "Naya-Dhamma Khao" provide examples of wall paintings in palaces and assemblies, indicating a vibrant artistic culture.
Literary References to Painting: Jain literary works frequently mention painting. Stories from the 11th-12th centuries describe the use of paintings to convey emotions, such as a painting of a bee and a lily representing unrequited love. The story of "Tarangavati" mentions a heroine organizing a painting exhibition to attract her estranged lover.
Specific Texts and Patronage:
- The Acharanga Sutra advises Jain monks against frequenting art studios.
- Jainacharya Hemachandra's "Trishashti Shalaka Purush Charit" describes assemblies of painters in royal courts.
- The Vappabhatta Suri Charita mentions the creation of illustrated scrolls of Lord Mahavir in the 9th century.
- Numerous palm-leaf manuscripts in the Apabhramsha style from the 12th to 16th centuries, often featuring illustrated narratives, are preserved in various collections.
Iconography and Symbolism:
- A significant theme is the depiction of Queen Trishala's dreams, including an elephant (Airavata), a lion, a bull, a seated Lakshmi on a lotus, garlands, sun, moon, golden pitchers, lakes, oceans, celestial chariots, treasure troves, a pair of fish, and tall buildings.
- Sacred symbols like the Swastika, Shrivatsa, Nandiavarta, Baddha Padmasana, and mirror are skillfully depicted on Ayagpatas.
- The Twenty-four Tirthankaras, their symbols, and trees of enlightenment are also frequently illustrated. Portraits of Mahavir, Parshvanath, Neminath, and Rishabhanath are particularly common, with specific colors and symbols associated with each.
- The Samavasharana, the preaching assembly of Tirthankaras, is a recurring motif, often depicted as circular or sometimes square, adorned with jewels and gold.
- The concept of the three realms of the universe (trilokya rachna) and cosmological diagrams are also present.

Artistic Elements and Style:

Color Palette: Early Jain art predominantly used earthy colors. Later, red became more prevalent, along with sky blue, yellow, blue, and white. Gold ink was also increasingly used.
Attire and Adornments: Attention is paid to the embellishment of crowns and garlands. Women are depicted with bindis on their foreheads, earrings, armlets, and elaborate necklaces. Men typically wear dhotis and upper cloths, while women wear **bodices, colorful dhotis, chunaris, and katipata (waist cloths).
Proportions and Facial Features: The text discusses the proportions of figures, citing Vachaspati Gairola's observations on "one-eyed," "one-and-a-half-eyed," and "two-eyed" depictions. Specific details are provided about facial features, including the shape of the chin, nose, eyes, and eyebrows, highlighting the artists' skill.
Influence and Uniqueness:
- Jain art has left a deep impression on later styles, particularly Rajput art.
- The ornamental patterns characteristic of Jain art are considered the origin of similar motifs in other Indian painting styles.
- Jain painting is closely aligned with Hindu painting traditions, with figures like Ram and Neminath being comparable to Ram and Krishna in Hindu art.
- While Hindu art moved towards depicting sensuality and luxury, Jain art remained steadfast in its religious devotion and principles.
- Jain art harmonized with the decorative tendencies of Buddhist art. A key difference is that Buddhist art focused more on murals, while Jain art emphasized illustrated manuscripts on palm leaves and paper.
- Jain art has contributed to the development of other traditions by providing new trends and progressive elements.

Preservation and Significance:

Patronage and Preservation: Jain art lovers have played a crucial role in preserving Jain artistic treasures. Despite periods of destruction, Jain scholars and artists diligently protected their art.
Manuscript Illustration: The period between the 10th and 15th centuries is largely considered the era of Jain painting. Jain artists dedicated themselves to developing the Jain style with great devotion and dedication, providing new experiments and stylistic expressions for later Rajput and Mughal styles.
Valuable Collections: Numerous valuable and rare illustrated textile paintings and manuscripts are housed in museums and private collections in India and abroad. The "Vasant Vilas" (1508 CE) preserved in the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington is considered a unique textile painting.
Folk Art Elements: Jain art reflects the essence of folk art, with elements of local beauty and culture embedded in its figures, lines, and decorations, similar to the art found at Sanchi and Bharhut.
Dedication of Jain Monks: Beyond royal patronage, Jain monks contributed significantly to the enrichment of art through their diligent copying and independent creation of thousands of texts.
Artistic Prowess: Jain artists demonstrated great skill and care in their use of colors and lines. The intricate lines on palm leaves imbue the paintings with a remarkable liveliness.
Adaptation and Innovation: While Jain artists primarily depicted Jain religious themes, they also created illustrations for Vaishnava texts like the "Markandeya Purana" and "Durga Saptami." Jain artists also worked in the Mughal court, illustrating texts for emperors like Jahangir and Akbar.
Enduring Legacy: The unwavering devotion of Jain artists to their faith has resulted in a unique and unparalleled tradition. Their commitment to religious boundaries, even in the face of luxury and changing societal norms, has preserved the integrity of Jain painting.

In conclusion, "Jain Chitrakala" provides a detailed and insightful overview of Jain painting, emphasizing its historical significance, artistic merits, thematic depth, and enduring legacy within the broader landscape of Indian art. It highlights the dedication of Jain artists and patrons in creating and preserving a rich artistic heritage deeply rooted in spiritual and literary traditions.