Western India, Rajasthan, dated 1098 (Samvat 1155).

Finely carved, the Jina seated in dhyanasana on an ornate cushion carved along the rim with foliate designs in shaped cartouches. His hands lowered in dhyana mudra. His rib cage rises in iconographically prescribed diagonals towards his broad chest with the shrivatsa mark between his smooth pectorals. His arms extend from broad shoulders, his neck displays the trivali mark.

He shows a determined yet charming expression with large eyes, bow-shaped lips forming a calm smile, a pronounced chin, and rounded cheeks, flanked by elongated earlobes. His hair is neatly arranged in numerous snail-shell curls, all of which are remarkably well carved.

Inscriptions: To the cushion, dated ‘Samvat 1155’, corresponding to 1098.

Provenance: The private collection of Frits Seegers, assembled during the 1990’s and early 2000’s, and in 2021 by descent to his widow Kartika Soekarno Seegers. A copy of an ownership letter written and signed by Kartika Soekarno Seegers, dated 25 June 2024, confirming the lot was in the collection of her late husband Frits, accompanies this lot. For privacy reasons, this letter will be released to the winning bidder only, after full payment has been received. Frits Seegers (1959-2021) was a well-known European financial executive and the president of Citibank Europe. His widow Kartika Soekarno Seegers is the daughter of Sokarno, the national hero and first president of Indonesia, serving from 1945 to 1967.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Significant ancient wear, predominantly from extensive worship within the culture. Signs of natural weathering and erosion, encrustations, some iron oxide residues, scratches. Minor nicks, chips, and obvious losses. The polish is remarkably well preserved. Overall with a naturally grown patina and presenting extraordinarily well.

Dimensions: Height 61 cm

This elegant figure probably depicts the Jina Mahavira (circa 480-408 BC), the historical founder of Jainism, a near contemporary of the Buddha Shakyamuni in the fifth century B.C. The statue is a superlative example of 11^th century Jain sculpture. Sensuously modeled, the broad shoulders, short neck and narrow waist of the seated Jina demonstrate the powerful and meditative equipoise of the subject. Also note the fine carving and rendering of the iconographical details, including the delicately incised individual curls, the tufted whorls at the nipples, the stylized srivatsa at the center of the chest, and the motif at the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, which continued at the base cushion.

Jainism was established in India around the sixth century BC and flourished alongside Hinduism and Buddhism. The ultimate goal of the Jains or ‘conquerors’ was to achieve liberation from the cycle of reincarnations. They worship a group of twenty-four Supreme Teachers or Tirthankaras, arihants who after attaining kevala jnana (pure infinite knowledge) preach the dharma. An arihant is also called Jina (victor), one who has conquered inner enemies such as anger, attachment, pride, and greed.

Literature comparison:
Compare the rounded, carved base cushion and dedicatory inscription on the current work with a contemporaneous marble sculpture of a Jain Svetambara Tirthankara in meditation in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1992.131. For a related 12th century polished sandstone sculpture of a Jina in the collection of Dr. David R. Nalin, see Pratapaditya Pal, Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India, Los Angeles, 1994, p. 140, cat. no. 27.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s 16 March 2016, lot 763
Price: USD 670,000 or approx. EUR 820,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A polished black stone figure depicting a Jina, Western India, Rajasthan, dated Samvat 1153 (1096 CE) by inscription
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, manner of carving, and dating inscription.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Paris, 14 December 2016, lot 2
Price: EUR 140,500 or approx. EUR 169,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare black stone figure of a Jain Tirthankara, central India, Western Rajasthan region, dated 1098
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, manner of carving, and dating inscription. Note the missing head and the resulting smaller size (49 cm).