Pure Souls: The Jain Path to Perfection
Asian Paintings Gallery
August 9–November 30, 2014
Paintings made for followers of Jainism, a religion that emerged alongside Buddhism in the sixth century B.C., are among the most visually striking of all Indian art. They include large and colorful maps of the cosmos, depictions of the lives of Jain saints, and images of sacred Sanskrit syllables used for meditation. This exhibition presents a group of Jain paintings that have rarely been exhibited at the MFA—early illustrated manuscripts and newly restored cloth paintings—together with embroidered book covers and select sculptures. Together, these objects illuminate the potent sacred world of the Jain religion. With support from the Patricia B. Jacoby Exhibition Fund.
|
