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Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2: Kalinga Brahmins are Given the White Elephant
(Southeast Asia )
The Vessantara Jataka emphasizes the virtue of charity through the story of a prince. The scene here shows the prince, Vessantara, mounted on the royal white elephant that can bring rain. Bramins from the neighboring Kalinga kingdom ask the prince to make them a gift of the elephant because their land is drought-stricken.
The artist depicts the figures and the elephant in traditional Thai style, but the trees and architecture demonstrates the influence of European conventions like shading and effort to show receding space.
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Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 2002, by gift.
Geographies
Thailand (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 17 1/2 x W: 21 5/8 in. (44.5 x 55 cm)
Credit Line
Gift from Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's Southeast Asian Art Collection, 2002
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
35.232
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Related Objects
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 3: Vessantara Gives Away the Chariot
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 4: Vessantara, Maddi, Jali, and Kanha Enter the Forest
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5: The Woodsman Cataputta's Dogs Send Jujaka Up a Tree
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 7: Jujaka and the Hermit Accala
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 8: Jali at Vessantara's Feet
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 11: While Jujaka Sleeps the Children are Cared For
Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 5: The Brahmin Jujaka with his wife Amittapana
