Two illustrated leaves from a Jain Kalpasutra manuscript. Western India, probably Gujarat, 16th century, opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, each folio depicting a seated Jain deity to one half of the folio and text to the other, the reverse with plain text, each approx. 28.5 x 12cm. (2)Provenance: Private European CollectionThe Kalakacaryakatha tells the story of the Jain monk, Kalaka, who invited an army of Saka warriors (also known as Scythian) in order to rescue his sister, who had been captured by King Gardhabilla. Texts were normally appended to the end of manuscripts of the Kalpasutra: however, the numeral 5 which appears on one of the leaves indicates that these leaves derive from an independent Kalakacaryakatha manuscript. The illustrations depict Indra in two forms, as himself and as an ascetic, paying homage to Kalaka. Another depicts an army besieging the city of Ujjain in Malwa, which had been captured by King Gardhabilla, and in the process rescuing Kalaka's sister.Two illustrated leaves from a Jain Kalpasutra manuscript. Western India, probably Gujarat, 16th century, opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, each folio depicting a seated Jain deity to one half of the folio and text to the other, the reverse with plain text, each approx. 28.5 x 12cm. (2)Provenance: Private European CollectionThe Kalakacaryakatha tells the story of the Jain monk, Kalaka, who invited an army of Saka warriors (also known as Scythian) in order to rescue his sister, who had been captured by King Gardhabilla. Texts were normally appended to the end of manuscripts of the Kalpasutra: however, the numeral 5 which appears on one of the leaves indicates that these leaves derive from an independent Kalakacaryakatha manuscript. The illustrations depict Indra in two forms, as himself and as an ascetic, paying homage to Kalaka. Another depicts an army besieging the city of Ujjain in Malwa, which had been captured by King Gardhabilla, and in the process rescuing Kalaka's sister.