| Summary: |
Jain metal altars can be found in numerous museums and
collections outside India. Most of these objects come from
western India and were produced between the 11th and 19th
century. Although large numbers of these altar pieces exist, an
in-depth study of early modern and modern Jains bronzes has
not yet been undertaken. While several studies of Jaina bronzes
have been published, none have considered the object as a three dimensional form. They either focus only on the iconography
of the front side or, where available, on the inscriptions on the
back. When it comes to questions of authenticity, particularly
relevant for the assessment of the historical value of the contents
of inscriptions, it is essential to look at the statues from all sides,
and ideally, to also investigate the material it is made of.
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