Jain Art in India: Sacred Cosmography, Heavens and Hells

Jain Art in India: Sacred Cosmography, Heavens and Hells opens at the Ashmolean Museum on 16 January 2027, and it's a free display that runs through to 12 September. You'll find it in Gallery 29, so it's one of those things you can easily slot into a day out in the city without needing to plan your whole afternoon around it.

What makes this one worth a look is that it's a co-curated exhibition of sculptures and paintings from the Ashmolean that have never been shown to the public before. The museum is pulling things from the stores that usually stay behind closed doors, so you're seeing a side of the collection that doesn't normally make it onto the walls. Among the pieces is a 19th-century Seated Jain Tirthankara in soapstone and alabaster from North India, and a portable shrine of the Tirthankara Parshvanatha from Rajasthan, dated 1633 and cast in brass. There's also a page from a 16th-17th century Sangrahani Sutra manuscript depicting the cosmic man Purusa, and the Tirthankara Kuntunatha from Vasantagarh, dated 1476, in brass inlaid with silver and copper.

If you're not familiar with the subject, Jainism is an ancient Indian religion dating back to the sixth century BCE, roughly as old as Buddhism and founded more than 2,500 years ago. At its core it teaches non-violence, self-discipline and the quest for enlightenment; followers believe true freedom and happiness come from living ethically and simply, and they honour 24 enlightened teachers known as Jinas or Tirthankaras. The display brings these sculptures and paintings together to give an overview of Jain beliefs and values.

It's a small, focused show, so you can walk through it in a short space of time. It runs from 16 January to 12 September 2027 in Gallery 29 at the Ashmolean Museum, and entry is free.