{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25156"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25156/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY1139/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2024NY1139/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2024NY1139","copyright":"© Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY1138","copyright":"© Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY1141","copyright":"© Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY1140","copyright":"© Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2024NY1142","copyright":"© Victoria & Albert Museum","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU5561","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JY0538","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25156/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25156","accessionNumber":"930(IS)","objectType":"Figure","titles":[{"title":"Santinatha","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Shantinath is especially revered in the Jain pantheon. He is the 16th Jina (saviour-teacher) and is said to have revived Jainism at a time when it was in danger of extinction, assuring the faith's survival. Over time Jains came to invoke him to avert calamities and ensure the peace his name suggests (santi, ‘peace’; natha,‘lord’).\r\n\r\nThis image is one of the finest 12th-century western Indian Jain monumental bronze castings recorded. The figure bears an inscription dedicating it to the triumph of Sri Shantinatha in the year of Vikrama-Sanwat 1224 (1168 AD).\r\n\r\nThe naked meditating Jina is seated in the ‘padmasana’ posture on a jewelled cushion. This is richly decorated with silver and copper inlay and deer motifs. The deer which appears on the throne-base is the attribute (symbol) associated with Shantinatha.\r\n\r\nThe figure is beautifully modelled, with finely articulated hands and feet. The symmetrical curls of hair frame a face of serene calm. The prominent ‘srivatsa’ mark on the chest is inlaid with silver and copper. The eyes are silver and were probably once set with precious stones or crystal, now missing. The highly elaborate back plate is cast in three sections and provides the ‘prabhavati’ (radiating halo). It also supports the fly-whisk bearers and celestial attendants, elephants and musicians who pay homage to the Jina.","physicalDescription":"The meditating figure of Shantinatha (Santinatha), the 16th Jaina Tirthankara, is seated in the padmasana posture, on a jewelled cushion richly decorated with silver and copper inlay. There is a tiny figure of the deer which is the symbol (<i>lanchana</i>) of this Tirthankara. The figure is beautifully modeled, with finely articulated hands and feet. The symmetrical curls of hair frame a face of serene calm. The prominent <i>srivatsa</i> mark on the chest is inlaid with silver and copper. The eyes are silver and were probably once set with precious stones and crystal, now missing. An aureole is given behind the head with lotus design. A portion on top of the aureole is missing, perhaps it held a <i>chatravali</i> (umbrellas).  The elaborate back-rest of the throne is cast in two sections, the lower section shows the fly-whisk bearers and  the leogryphs and male figures.  Two garland-bearers (<i>maladharas</i> or <i>vidyadharas</i>) and two seated four-armed female figures (<i>yakshis</i>) are shown on the throne-bar. Elephants and drummers are shown on top. A meditating male figure seated in the <i>lalitasana</i> posture is illustrated on top in the centre.   We are unable to identify this important figure. Branches of the Kevala tree of the Jina also are shown on top with pots.   This image of Shantinatha is one of the finest twelfth-century western Indian Jain monumental bronze castings recorded.  The modelling and casting of the backplate, however, gives the appearance of not being contemporary. In all probability it was cast as a replacement, perhaps as late as the fifteenth century.  An inscription on the base of the image confirms the identity of the Jina and the date of its dedication.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"bronze","id":"AAT10957"}],"techniques":[{"text":"casting","id":"AAT53104"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Copper alloy (bronze)","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Jain","id":"THES49013"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Animals and Wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"India Museum","id":"THES286062"}],"styles":[{"text":"Cahamana","id":"x32303"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2024NY1139","2024NY1138","2024NY1141","2024NY1140","2024NY1142","2006AU5561","2017JY0538"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"BNC2","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"BNC2","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"BNC2","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"47C","id":"THES49795"},"free":"","case":"BNC2","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure, Santinatha","id":""}],[{"text":"Backplate for a Jain figure: upper section","id":""}],[{"text":"Backplate for a Jain figure: lower left section","id":""}],[{"text":"Backplate for a Jain figure: lower right section","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Rajasthan","id":"x29841"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1168","earliest":"1168-01-01","latest":"1168-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"113.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum height of whole object including backplate","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"97","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum width of whole object including backplate","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"39","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"maximum depth of whole object as displayed including figure and backplate","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"500","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/10/2007","earliest":"2007-10-27","latest":"2007-10-27"},"part":"","note":"weight to be checked next time the object is moved"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"117.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"height of whole object as displayed including modern museum mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"82.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"width of modern museum mount only (somewhat less than the maximum width of the object itself)","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"45.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"depth of whole object as displayed including modern museum mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"43","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"19/06/2023","earliest":"2023-06-19","latest":"2023-06-19"},"part":"depth of modern museum mount only (at base)","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Please weigh the object and the backplate. The weight currently recorded may only be an estimate.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Text: (Om symbol) sam 1224 vaisa vadi 5 some sri-naila-gacche","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"Trans.: \"In the year [V.S.] 1224 [1167],on Monday, the 5th tithi [day]of the bright half of the month of Vaisakha. [This is] the means to the triumph of Sri Santinatha in the honourable Naila gaccha [tree; lineage].\"\r\n\r\nGauriswar Bhattacharya, 13 July 2006.\r\nThe reading and translation of the incription were made by Prof. A.L.Basham.   Basham took the meaningless word  'vamtra' as 'tantra'.   We will however prefer to correct the word as vimvam. 'Jaya-vimvam' will mean 'victorious image'.   The inscription starts with the siddham symbol and not om, and the scribe has written the letter kha above vaisa.","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscription in Nagari and Sanskrit (partially corrupt)"},{"content":"An inscription on the base of the image confirms the identity of the Jina  and the date of its dedication","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"In the year [v.s.] 1224 [1167]  on Monday,5th tithi [day] of the bright half of the month of Vaisakha.  This is the means to the triumph of Sri Santinatha in the honourable Naila gaccha [tree; lineage]. Reading and translation by A.L.Basham).","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"Shantinath (Santinatha), the sixteenth Jina is especially revered in the Jain pantheon.  He is said to have revived Jainism at a time when it was in danger of extinction and thus assured the faith's survival. Over  time he came to be invoked to avert calamities and ensure calm in the world, as his name suggests (santi means \"peace\"; natha, \"lord\"). The popularity of Santinatha resulted in a great many images being produced, including large-scale bronzes of superb quality as seen here. The distinguishing attribute of Santinath is the deer, which is  placed on the throne-base of the image.  This cognizance is independent of the deer flanking a dharmachakra, which came to be associated with all Jinas. This is a rare example of monumental bronze casting from the medieval period and bears an inscription dedicating it to the triumph of Sri Santinatha in the year of Vikrama-Sanwat 1224 (1168 AD).","briefDescription":"Bronze figure of Santinatha, bronze,  probably Rajasthan, Western India, 12th century (the backplate probably later).","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Barnard, Nick, Arts of Asia, Vol. no. 46, no 1, \"The Jain Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum\". January-February 2016","id":"AUTH338189"},"details":"p. 96, no. 4","free":"This image of Santinatha is one of the finest twelth-century western Indian Jain monumental bronze castings recorded. The modeling and casting of the backplate, however, gives the appearance of not being contemporary. In all probability it was cast as a replacement, perhaps as late as the fifteenth century.\r\n\r\n"},{"reference":{"text":"Irwin, John C., Indian Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1968","id":"AUTH348144"},"details":"pl. 9","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació \"La Caixa\" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació \"la Caixa\", c2007 Number: 9788476649466","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.182/3, Cat. 143","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Indian Temple Sculpture","id":"AUTH339668"},"details":"p.61, pl.64","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Pal, Pratapaditya Dr. (Ed.) <i>The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India</i>, New York and London, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and V&A, 1995","id":"AUTH353257"},"details":"Guy, John, pp.146-148 and app. p.259","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Nagar, Shanti Lal. <i>Jaina Sculptures in Indian and World Museums</i>. Kalinga Publications, New Delhi, 2000, p. 171."},{"reference":{"text":"Creange, S., Slaczka A., Southworth W. and Wang, C. <i>Asian Bronze: 4000 Years of Beauty</i>, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 2024.","id":"AUTH411635"},"details":"p.152, Fig. 101","free":""}],"production":"Probably Rajasthan, India","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Shantinatha","id":"N11181"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"garlands","id":"AAT167386"},{"text":"elephants","id":"x30316"},{"text":"drummers","id":"AAT235069"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The Jina Shantinatha \r\n\r\n1168; the backplate about 1300–1500 \r\n\r\nJains revere twenty-four Jinas (spiritual victors) who showed the \r\nway to escape the cycle of death and rebirth and achieve liberation.\r\nThese Jinas are also known as Tirthankaras (ford-makers). \r\n\r\nShantinatha, the 16th Jina, is said to have revived Jainism at a time \r\nwhen it was in danger of extinction. In this rare example of large-\r\nscale medieval bronze casting, he sits meditating on a cushion,\r\nflanked by flywhisk bearers and felicitated by celestial musicians \r\nand garland bearers. \r\n\r\nCopper alloy with silver and copper inlay\r\nProbably western India (Rajasthan)\r\nWith an inscription dedicating it to the triumph of Sri Shantinatha in the year \r\nof Vikrama-Samvat 1224 (1168 AD) \r\n\r\n\r\nMuseum no. 930(IS) \r\n\r\n","date":{"text":"06/06/2011","earliest":"2011-06-06","latest":"2011-06-06"}},{"text":"SANTINATHA\r\nBronze\r\nProbably Rajasthan, Western India\r\nCahamana period, dated to 1168 A.D.\r\n\r\nThe meditating figure of Santinatha, the 16th Jain tirthankara, is seated on a cushion flanked by attendants holding fly-whisks (chauri). The highly elaborate backplate (torana) is decorated with celestial attendants, elephants and musicians. This is a rare example of monumental bronze-casting from the medieval period and bears an inscription dedicating it to the triumph of Sri Santinatha in the year of Vikrama-samvat 1224 (1168 A.D.).\r\n\r\n930(IS)\n\n","date":{"text":"c.1988-2010","earliest":"1983-01-01","latest":"2010-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["930(IS)","930A/(IS)","930B/(IS)","930C/(IS)"],"accessionNumberNum":"930","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Figure, Santinatha","Backplate for a Jain figure: upper section","Backplate for a Jain figure: lower left section","Backplate for a Jain figure: lower right section"],"assets":["2017KJ4503","2019LM5765","2019LP6905","2019LT6932","2019LV3273","2019LW5768","2019LW5194"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-02","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-14","availableToBook":false}}