Which community largely represented the merchant class and became significant patrons of Jain themes in the Western Indian School of Painting?

1) Sikh

2) Hindu

3) Jain

4) Muslim

3

Answer: Jain

The merchant class, largely represented by the Jain community, became significant patrons of Jain themes in the Western Indian School of Painting.

Painting activity that thrived largely in western parts of India constitutes the Western Indian School of Painting with Gujarat as its most prominent centre, and southern parts of Rajasthan and western parts of Central India as other centres. With the presence of some significant ports in Gujarat, there was a network of trade routes passing through these areas, especially, making merchants, traders and local chieftains powerful patrons of art due to the wealth and prosperity that trading brought in. The merchant class, largely represented by the Jain community, led to become significant patrons of themes related to Jainism. Hence, part of the Western Indian School that depicts Jain themes and manuscripts is known as the Jain School of Painting. Jain painting also received impetus because the concept of shaastradaan (donation of books) gained favour amidst the community, where the act of donating illustrated paintings to the monastery’s libraries called bhandars (repositories) was glorified as a gesture of charity, righteousness and gratitude.