Krishna and Balarama touching the feet of Vasudeva and Devaki, from the “Vertical” Bhagavata Purana

Cleveland Museum of Art

Krishna and Balarama touching the feet of Vasudeva and Devaki, from the “Vertical” Bhagavata Purana

Date
c. 1700–1725
Medium
Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper
Culture
Northern India, Pahari kingdoms
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Institution
Cleveland Museum of Art
Object ID
314115

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

This intensely emotional scene depicts the reunion of the blue-skinned god Krishna with his parents for the first time since the night of his birth. The stark white expanse of wall that fills most of the composition evokes the desolate years of separation during which time his parents were in prison. According to the story, Krishna and his half-brother, the white-skinned Balarama, have just slain a wicked king and freed his parents. Nevertheless, they all wear fine garments and ornaments. The artist elected to emphasize the appearance of good fortune over realism, signaling to the viewer that this is a happy reunion. Krishna and Balarama wear a ring of bells on each foot.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Provenance
?–2018: Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Barbara Timmer, Beverly Hills, CA, partial sale and gift to the Cleveland Museum of Art | 2018–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

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