Jain Goddess Padmavati
Unknown Artist
ca. 10th century
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
H. 9 7/16 in. (24 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
India (Gujarat)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Vijay K. Anand, M.D., Nanda Anand, Maya Anand, and Rohit Anand Gift, 2011
Accession Number
2011.501
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the exquisite *Jain Goddess Padmav*, a 10th-century copper alloy from Gujarat, India, just 9 7/16 inches tall. Crafted by an unknown artist during a golden age of Jain devotion under the Solanki dynasty, diminutive yet powerful figure captures the yakshini Padmavati, the devoted attendant and protector of the Tirthankara Parshatha. In Jain cosmology, she embodies fertility, prosperity, and safeguarding faith, often depicted with serpentine attributes symbolizing her role as a wish-fulfilling deity. The use of copper alloy—a hallmark of western Indian metalwork—allowed for intricate cas...