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Details
- Other Title
- Krishna
- Alternative title
- Govinda
- Place where the work was made
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Bikaner
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Rajasthan
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India
- Period
- Rajput circa 1500 - 1947 → India
- Date
- circa 1820
- Media categories
- Miniature , Painting , Watercolour
- Materials used
- opaque watercolour with gold on paper
- Dimensions
- 17.2 x 10.8 cm image; 24.9 x 15.9 cm sheet
- Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Bequest of Mr J. Kitto 1986
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 104.1986
- Copyright
- Share
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About
Krishna is one of the best known of the Indian gods, and certainly he was one of the favourite heroes of the Rajasthani court artists. Krishna means "dark-skinned one," so he is always painted blue. According to mythology he grew up in the countryside as a cowherder, playing the flute, flirting with the milkmaids (known as 'gopis') and mischievously stealing their clothes as they bathe in the river. In this painting, however, Krishna is depicted rather like the Greek god Pan. Seated on a blossoming lotus that rises out of the swampy water, he mesmerises the two cows that look on with his enchanting flute-playing. This painting is one of a series of four paintings from the collection of the Maharaja of Bikaner. It is quite possible that such a painting may have been presented to the Maharaja by a court artist on a festival such as Krishna Jayanti, the celebration of Krishna's birth.
Haema Sivanesan, Look, March 2001, pg. 21.
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Exhibition history
Shown in 2 exhibitions
Indian Painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 06 Apr 2001–11 Jun 2001
Miniatures: works from the Contemporary Asian Collection, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 30 May 2004–29 Aug 2004
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Bibliography
Referenced in 3 publications
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Carol Cains, Krishna: love and devotion, 'Krishna the cowherder', p6-9, Victoria, 2007, 6-9. General reference
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Haema Sivanesan, Look, 'Indian painting', pg. 20-21, Melbourne, Mar 2001, cover (colour illus.), 5 (colour illus.), 20, 21 (colour illus.). The colour illus. on the cover is a detail of this work.
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Haema Sivanesan, Indian painting, 'Indian Painting', verso of poster., Sydney, 2001. cat.no. 2.22 - 2.25 (one of a set of four paintings; Acc.no.s 103-106.1986)
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