15″ Rishabadevar | Handcrafted Brass | Antique Brown Finish

This 15-inch Rishabadevar sculpture is handcrafted in brass and stands 38 centimetres tall, measuring 15 centimetres in width and 11 centimetres in depth, with a finished weight of 3,900 grams.

The figure is rendered in a graceful tribhanga stance — the characteristic three-point bend through the neck, torso, and knee that is foundational to classical South Indian iconographic tradition. One arm rests at the hip while the other extends with a gentle downward gesture, conveying ease and composure rather than rigidity. The face carries a serene, composed expression beneath an ornate turban-style crown. Detailed surface work is visible across the layered necklaces, armlets, waistband, and pleated lower garment, all of which have been worked by hand to achieve clarity and depth. The rounded pedestal base is carved with concentric moulding, providing a stable and proportionate foundation for the figure. Achieving this level of surface articulation in brass requires considerable skill in both the initial casting and the subsequent hand-finishing stages.

Rishabadeva, also known as Adinatha, holds a central place in Jain tradition as the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras. He is regarded as a teacher of right conduct and the foundational figure of the Jain dharmic lineage. His iconography typically emphasises stillness, uprightness, and an absence of ornamentation associated with worldly attachment, though devotional sculptural traditions have historically rendered him with the decorative detail seen here.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc that has been used in Indian devotional and decorative metalwork for centuries. It is valued for its density, warmth of tone, workability under hand tools, and resistance to corrosion over time, which makes it well suited to detailed sculptural work intended for long-term use.

This piece carries an antique brown finish that deepens the surface detailing and gives the sculpture a quality consistent with aged temple bronzes. As with all handcrafted work, natural variation in tone, texture, and surface character from piece to piece is expected and inherent to the process.

This sculpture suits a home altar, a Jain puja room, a curated collector's display, or as a considered gift for someone with an appreciation for classical Indian devotional art.