Western Indian School of Paintings
This tradition of painting spanned the regions of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Malwa.
Strongly influenced by Jainism, it flourished under the patronage of the Chalukyas.
From the 12th to the 16th centuries, numerous religious manuscripts were commissioned by princes, ministers, and wealthy Jain merchants.
Jain painting received significant encouragement due to the growing popularity of shaastradaan—the donation of illustrated manuscripts to monastic libraries known as bhandars.
This act was regarded as a noble gesture of charity, devotion, and gratitude within the Jain community.
Jain miniatures are characterized by bold stylistic distortion, often exaggerating physical features such as large eyes, pronounced breasts, and broad hips to convey expression and symbolism.
Among the most commonly illustrated texts are the Kalpasutra and Kalakacharya-Katha.
Other frequently painted works include the Sangrahini Sutra and Uttaradhyayana Sutra.
The Kalakacharya-Katha recounts the tale of Acharya Kalaka, who embarks on a mission to rescue his abducted sister, a Jain nun, from a wicked king.
The Uttaradhyayana Sutra presents the teachings of Mahavira, focusing on monastic discipline, while the Sangrahini Sutra, a 12th-century cosmological treatise, explores the structure of the universe and the mapping of space.
