Jain Miniature Paintings from Western India c6.6

c6.6

The legendary account attributes the origin of the art of painting (*chitta-kamma*) to Ṛṣabhadeva, the first Jain Tīrthaṃkara, from whom are also said to have originated the sciences of mathematics and symbology.¹ As painting originated from Ṛṣabha himself the profession of a painter was not stigmatised. A painter (*chittāra*) was counted among the Silpāryas and his profession was held to be a noble one.²