Akrura and Krishna
Painting
ca. 1520 - ca. 1540 (made)
ca. 1520 - ca. 1540 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, from a now dispersed Bhagavata Purana manuscript of some three hundred folios, a Sanskrit text in praise of Krishna. This painting depicts Akrura presenting the jewel, Shyamantaka, to Krishna. The figures are depicted in a palace interior, with Sultanate period architectural elements visible above. The costume details are richly observed and the composition is given a remarkable intensity through the use of a saturating red and green background to offset the two groups of figures. This event, described in Book 10 of the Bhagavata Purana is set in the golden city of Dwaraka. Krishna, in a yellow dhoti, sits on a patterned bolster at the feet of the King Ugrasena, with his hand stretched out towards Akrura to receive the jewel, Ugrasena sits on a canopied throne, attended by a chauri bearer while Akrura, to the left, stands with the jewel cupped in his hands with a row of three courtiers seated behind him; all of the protagonists wear the Kulahdar turban except for Krishna who wears a crown. The Royal group i.e. Krishna, Ugrasena, and chauri bearer, are shown against a red background, and the Akrura group against a green one. Above them a scallop-edged, black-tasselled curtain hands from a two-patterned horizontal band. The whole is enclosed within a yellow rectangle with a dome, chhattri and crenellations representing a palace in the golden city of Dwarka. The water is represented by a basket-weave motif on two sides and a partially rubbed and worn dark red area is visible in the immediate foreground.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Akrura and Krishna (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour on paper |
Brief description | Painting, Bhagavata Purana manuscript, Akrura presents jewel to Krishna, opaque watercolour on paper, Rajasthan, possibly Mewar, ca. 1520-1540 |
Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, from a now dispersed Bhagavata Purana manuscript of some three hundred folios, a Sanskrit text in praise of Krishna. This painting depicts Akrura presenting the jewel, Shyamantaka, to Krishna. The figures are depicted in a palace interior, with Sultanate period architectural elements visible above. The costume details are richly observed and the composition is given a remarkable intensity through the use of a saturating red and green background to offset the two groups of figures. This event, described in Book 10 of the Bhagavata Purana is set in the golden city of Dwaraka. Krishna, in a yellow dhoti, sits on a patterned bolster at the feet of the King Ugrasena, with his hand stretched out towards Akrura to receive the jewel, Ugrasena sits on a canopied throne, attended by a chauri bearer while Akrura, to the left, stands with the jewel cupped in his hands with a row of three courtiers seated behind him; all of the protagonists wear the Kulahdar turban except for Krishna who wears a crown. The Royal group i.e. Krishna, Ugrasena, and chauri bearer, are shown against a red background, and the Akrura group against a green one. Above them a scallop-edged, black-tasselled curtain hands from a two-patterned horizontal band. The whole is enclosed within a yellow rectangle with a dome, chhattri and crenellations representing a palace in the golden city of Dwarka. The water is represented by a basket-weave motif on two sides and a partially rubbed and worn dark red area is visible in the immediate foreground. |
Dimensions |
|
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | (Inscriptions in Nagri identify the characters.)
|
Gallery label |
|
Object history | Bought from Doris Wiener |
Subjects depicted | |
Literary reference | Bhagavata Purana |
Bibliographic references |
|
Collection | |
Accession number | IS.2-1977 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | December 15, 1999 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest