ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Jain Sculpture

Jain sculpture is a type of art that people from a religion called Jainism make to help them remember their beliefs. This art shows their gods, their leaders and their stories.

For Jains, there are 24 leaders called Tirthankaras who have shown a way to reach enlightenment, which means understanding life and being very happy. The sculptures of these leaders are very important in Jain art, and people make them using stone.

The artists make very detailed and colorful sculptures of the Tirthankaras, showing them sitting peacefully with their eyes closed. They also sometimes make sculptures of animals or plants, as these are important symbols for Jains too.

Jain art also tells stories about some of their leaders, such as Parshvanatha, who was protected by a snake while meditating under a tree. You can see this story in a lot of Jain artwork, with the snake wrapped around Parshvanatha while he sits quietly.

Basically, Jain sculpture is a way for people who follow Jainism to show their beliefs and tell important stories using beautiful and detailed art.
Related topics others have asked about: