Artwork Page for Krishna Fluting

Details / Information for Krishna Fluting

Krishna Fluting

c. 1675–1700

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bundi

Medium
Gum tempera on paper
Measurements
Page: 21.9 x 14.3 cm (8 5/8 x 5 5/8 in.); Miniature: 17.2 x 9.5 cm (6 3/4 x 3 3/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund 2018.157
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

Brilliantly set off against a flat red ground, Krishna’s blue body is the focus of the brown cow, lured to the god by the melody of his flute. Even the plantain and cypress trees seem to point in his direction. The figural style of the artists of this Rajput kingdom effortlessly shows the head turned in one direction, while the feet point the opposite way, contributing to Krishna’s superhuman appearance.

Below, a herdsman struggles to manage a spotted cow in front of a temple with a linga, a stylized phallic form that identifies the presence of the Hindu god Shiva. This fluting scene refers to Krishna’s coming of age as a cowherd.
A vertically oriented gum tempera painting depicts a blue-skinned figure playing a flute against a vibrant red background, framed by a thick yellow border. Wearing an orange garment and lotus-topped yellow crown, he stands with crossed legs centrally. To our left, a brown bull gazes upward. Below, a man in a pink wrap leads a black-and-white cow. A tall green plant and a white domed structure occupy our right.

Krishna Fluting

c. 1675–1700

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bundi

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