North India, India

Title

Folio from a dispersed series of the 'Bhagavata Purana'

Place of origin

North India → India

Cultural origin

probably Uttar Pradesh

Year

circa 1520-circa 1530

Media categories

Painting, Watercolour

Materials used

opaque watercolour (gouache) on paper

Dimensions

17.9 x 23.6cm

Credit

Purchased 2007

Accession number

286.2007

Location

Not on display

Further information

This folio is from the earliest known illustrated manuscript of the Bhagavata Purana, a popular text of 18 000 verses composed around the year 900. The verses speak about the Hindu deity Vishnu, in particular, his form as the god Krishna. This illustration relates to events in Book 10 when the blue-skinned Krishna, together with his companions Balarama and Uddhava, visit the nobleman Akrura.

Paintings from this manuscript exemplify the 16th-century Chaurapanchasika style, which is characterised by bold primary colours applied in clearly bound sections, rich patterns contrasting with flat, unpatterned areas, and figures in strict profile enlivened by exaggerated gestures and crisp, sharply pointed drapery.

Asian Art Department, AGNSW, September 2011

Bibliography (2)

Jill Sykes (Editor), Look Feb 2008, Newtown, Feb 2008, cover (colour illus.); 9 (colour illus.).

Yvonne Tan, Asian Art Newspaper Apr 2008, 'Intimate Encounters, Indian Paintings from Australian Collections', London, Apr 2008, 13(illus.).

Exhibition history (2)

Intimate Encounters: Indian paintings from Australian collections, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 22 Feb 2007–04 May 2007

One hundred flowers (2011), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 01 Sep 2011–15 Jan 2012