Bidspirit auction | A LARGE INDIAN TANTRIC JAIN

A LARGE INDIAN TANTRIC JAIN MANDALA PAINTING ON CLOTH, 19TH CENTURY. - A large religious painting on cloth, executed in opaque pigments and gold, representing a Jain cosmic diagram or vastrapata. The composition is centred on a shatkona, an interlocking six-pointed star, containing a seated figure. This central motif is enclosed within concentric circular registers populated by seated deities. Surrounding the central mandala are rectangular grids containing numerous multi-armed figures, including representations of guardian deities and celestial beings. The upper section features architectural elements resembling temple shikharas, flanked by two pairs of seated four-armed figures. Between the temple structures and the mandala are two large eyes representing the divine gaze, flanking a central sacred syllable. Above the central circle, a prominent Sanskrit character is painted in gold, representing the bija mantra Hrim. The lower corners contain two larger figurative scenes: to the left, a multi-armed deity is enthroned above a small elephant; to the right, a four-armed figure is seated on a lotus throne beneath a canopy, flanked by attendants. The work is executed in a traditional Rajasthani or North Indian folk-tantric style, characterised by a palette of deep reds, ochres, and indigo blues, with extensive highlights in gold pigment. Approximately 122 x 120cm