Krishna thumbnail 1
Krishna thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Krishna

Painting
mid 18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Kishangarh (made)

Painting in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Krishna is shown with blue skin and a halo, standing in the centre of a gathering of cow-herd girls (gopis) some of whom raise peacock-feather fans over him. Radha stands on one side of him, offering him a pan (betel quid). Krishna's raised finger recalls his pose when lifting up Mount Govardhan to shelter the cowherds from the rain sent by the rival god Indra. The scene takes place in a wooded grove, with a lotus pond or stream in the foreground.


Object details

Categories
Paintings
Hinduism
Religion
Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project
SCRAN
Object type
Painting
TitleKrishna (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper
Opaque Watercolour
Gold
Paper
Paint
Painted
Brief description
Painting, Krishna and gopis, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Kishangarh, mid 18th century
Physical description
Painting in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Krishna is shown with blue skin and a halo, standing in the centre of a gathering of cow-herd girls (gopis) some of whom raise peacock-feather fans over him. Radha stands on one side of him, offering him a pan (betel quid). Krishna's raised finger recalls his pose when lifting up Mount Govardhan to shelter the cowherds from the rain sent by the rival god Indra. The scene takes place in a wooded grove, with a lotus pond or stream in the foreground.
Dimensions
  • Height: 236mm
  • Width: 146mm
05/06/2013 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013
Style
Rajasthani
Gallery label
The story of the love between the Hindu god Krishna and the cow-herd girl Radha is a favourite theme in paintings from Kishangarh. Artists of the region developed their own style, distinguishable by elongated facial features, large lotus-petal shaped eyes and arched eyebrows. Krishna was often depicted with a halo and bejewelled like a prince. Here, he is surrounded by gopis (female cow-herders), with Radha in front, all with offerings in their hands. (March 2022)
Subjects depicted
Herdsman
Krishna
Radha
Bibliographic references
  • E. Dickinson and K. Khandalavala, Kishengarh painting, New Delhi, 1959
  • M. S. Randhawa et al., Kishangarh Painting, Bombay, 1980
  • Topsfield, Andrew, An introduction to Indian Court Painting, H.M.S.O., London, 1984, 0112903835 p. 33, cat. no. 26.
  • Khanna, Balraj; Krishna: The Divine Lover, South Bank Centre, London 1997, ISBN 1 85332 166 4 cat. no. 36
  • Khanna, Balraj; Krishna: The Divine Lover, South Bank Centre, London 1997, ISBN 1 85332 166 4 cat. no. 36
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.40-1980

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Record createdJuly 1, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O81853/krishna-painting-unknown/
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