Krishna and Nikumba
Painting
ca. 1590 (made)
ca. 1590 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Mughal emperor Akbar had the main Sanskrit texts of Hinduism translated into Persian, the language of the court and of the elite of the empire. This page is from a dispersed illustrated translation of the Harivamsa, the life of Krishna appended to the Mahabharata, and was done in about 1590. The painting was later added to an album and given decorated borders, probably in Lucknow in the 18th century.
Here, Krishna kills the demon king Nikumbha in the cave where heroes had been held captive.
Here, Krishna kills the demon king Nikumbha in the cave where heroes had been held captive.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Krishna and Nikumba (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, Harivamsa, Krishna kills Nikumba, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590 |
| Physical description | Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, the blue-skinned Krishna dressed in a dhoti, wearing a crown, and royal scarves and jewellery, is at the centre of the composition, isolated against the black background of the cave where the demon was found. and has just been decapitated. Nikumbha is depicted according to the conventions of Iranian book painting, as a div, with spotted skin and flaming eyes. Rocky outcrops are at the top of the composition; Krishna's companions surround the central figures. |
| Dimensions |
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| Content description | The blue-skinned Krishna dressed in a dhoti, wearing a crown, and royal scarves and jewellery, is at the centre of the composition, isolated against the black background of the cave where the demon was found. and has just been decapitated. Nikumbha is depicted according to the conventions of Iranian book painting, as a div, with spotted skin and flaming eyes. Rocky outcrops are at the top of the composition; Krishna's companions surround the central figures. |
| Style | |
| Gallery label | KRISHNA KILLS THE DEMON NIKUMBHA
Illustration to the Harivamsha
Opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Mughal
c. 1590
IS.6-1970
Bequeathed by
the Hon. Dame Ada Mcnaghten
The Harivamsha, or ‘Genealogy of Hari’, describes the creation of the cosmos and the legendary history of kings leading up to the birth of Lord Krishna. It was translated from Sanskrit into Persian on Akbar’s orders, as was the Mahabharata, with which it is closely connected. The translation was finished before 1586. In this painting, Krishna kills Nikumbha in the cave where this demon king had held heroes captive.(27/9/2013) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by the Hon. Dame Ada Macnaghten |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The Mughal emperor Akbar had the main Sanskrit texts of Hinduism translated into Persian, the language of the court and of the elite of the empire. This page is from a dispersed illustrated translation of the Harivamsa, the life of Krishna appended to the Mahabharata, and was done in about 1590. The painting was later added to an album and given decorated borders, probably in Lucknow in the 18th century. Here, Krishna kills the demon king Nikumbha in the cave where heroes had been held captive. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.6-1970 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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