Monks as Artists: Visual Interpolations and Interpretations in a Shalibhadra Chaupai manuscript

The Shalibhadra Chaupai is a 17th century Shvetambara Jain narrative tale that extolls the benefits of alms giving and is directed at the merchant community. It celebrates merchant culture using visual tropes that refer to the traditional depiction in paintings of celebratory events in the lives of Jinas. This presentation examines two identical Shalibhadra Chaupai manuscripts set a hundred years apart, both painted in Jaisalmer. Keeping patronage and viewer reception in mind, it discusses the role of Jain monks not just as scribes but as artists as well. What types of visual interpolations take place when the artist is also a monk? How might that affect the reception and circulation of the painted manuscript? The latter are some of the questions and issues the presentation seeks to examine.