Religious objects - Tīrthaṅkara Jain figure in Persian wax bronze, nude votive figure in an upright position. - 1700-1750 Mughal Empire (1526-1857) - Tīrthaṅkara Shvetāmbara

Jain tīrthankara bronze, votive nude figure in standing position (lost-wax casting)

This small bronze, depicting a naked Jain tīrthaṅkara standing with his arms at his sides, likely belongs to the devotional tradition of western India, likely from the area of Gujarat or Rajasthan, where the production of votive statuettes in copper-tin alloy using the lost-wax technique has been attested since the medieval period. The extremely simplified forms, the elongated body, the feet joined on a small, flat base, and the stylized face with incised eyes and marked eyebrows suggest a date between the 16th and 18th centuries, a period in which such objects were made for domestic use or as offerings in Jain temples. The absence of distinctive attributes—a typical feature of depictions of shvetāmbara tīrthaṅkaras—and the rigidly frontal posture are recurring elements in late-medieval and early-modern Jain votive statuary, indicative of a practical rather than monumental function. The lost-wax casting shows simple but accurate workmanship, while the patina and wear consistent with age suggest a devotional object that was actually used.