Jaina Tirthankara Chandraprabha Standing in Meditation (Kayotsarga)

This 12th-century schist sculpture from Karnataka, South India, depicts Chandraprabha, the eighth of twenty-four Tirthankaras (spiritual teachers) in Jainism. His name means "moonlight," and he was named for his moon-white complexion. The figure stands in kayotsarga, a meditation pose that literally means "dismissing the body." Arms hang at the sides, and the posture demonstrates complete detachment from physical discomfort, a core Jain value.

At about 27 inches tall, this is a substantial piece of Jain devotional sculpture. The 12th century was a high point for Jain art in Karnataka, where artisans developed refined techniques for carving schist, a metamorphic stone favored for its workability and smooth finish. The slight swelling of the belly reflects pranic breath even in deep meditation, showing how closely Jain sculptors studied yogic practice. The figure was a gift of the Alsdorf Foundation and is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.