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Vessantara Jataka, Chapter 2 (Himavanta Forest)
(Southeast Asia )
In this scene, we see Prince Vessantara giving his prized white elephant to a group of brahmins from a neighboring kingdom. A white elephant was believed to bring rain and prosperity. Vessantara sits atop the elephant, surrounded by symbols of his royalty. He pours water into the brahmins' hands as a sign of the gift being given.
Inscription
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.
Exhibitions
| 2011-2012 | Thai Story: The Vessantara Jataka. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
Geographies
Thailand (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 18 x W: 14 in. (45.7 x 35.6 cm); Framed, H: 26 5/8 × W: 21 5/8 × D: 7/8 in. (67.6 × 54.9 × 2.2 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.
35.265
