Artwork

Text, folio 2 (verso) from a Parshvanatha Charitra (Life and Stories of Lord Parshva) of Bhavadeva-suri

Text, folio 2 (verso) from a Parshvanatha Charitra (Life and Stories of Lord Parshva) of Bhavadeva-suri is an unspecified painting by Pradyumnasuri. It dates from 1290 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a 13th‑century manuscript illustration titled “Text, folio 2 (verso) from a Parshvanatha Charitra of Bhavadeva‑suri.

About this work

Overview

The work is a 13th‑century manuscript illustration titled “Text, folio 2 (verso) from a Parshvanatha Charitra of Bhavadeva‑suri.” Executed by the painter Pradyumnasuri around 1290, the piece is a small painted scene on a leaf of paper that now resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

At the centre of the illustration a seated deity is depicted with a golden aureole, indicating sanctity. Flanking the central figure are several attendants dressed in red robes, suggesting a scene of devotion or instruction linked to the life of Parshvanatha, a revered Jain Tirthankara.

Technique & Style

The image is rendered on aged paper whose margins retain faint red borders. The palette is limited to earthy browns, deep reds and gold, applied with a fine brush that outlines the halo and garments. The surrounding script, rendered in a historic Jain script, frames the visual narrative.

History & Provenance

Created in the late 13th century, the folio was part of a larger illustrated biography of Parshvanatha compiled by the monk Bhavadeva‑suri. Over the centuries the manuscript fragmented; this particular leaf entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection, where it is conserved as an example of early Jain manuscript painting.