The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 5, 2024

Krishna Awaiting Radha

Krishna Awaiting Radha

c. 1750–60
Gum tempera and gold on paper
Overall: 18.6 x 13.2 cm (7 5/16 x 5 3/16 in.)
Edward L. Whittemore Fund 1936.685
Location: not on view

Description

The Hindu god Krishna reclines on a bed, looking alertly ahead, waiting for his lover, Radha. He pays no attention to the two attendants holding a fan and peacock-feather whisk at his feet.

Indian painters sought to convey the essence of Hindu devotional texts. In both the paintings and poetry, emotional empathy is created through situations depicted and described. God waits for his devotee to set aside worldly distractions and come to him, in order to reach the goal of Hindu religious practice: freedom from suffering and oneness with god. Similarly, Krishna, who is god incarnate, anxiously waits for Radha, his lover, to arrive and experience the bliss of union.
  • ?–1936
    Ananda K. Coomaraswamy [1877–1947] sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1936–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Rajput Painting. London: H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1916. Reproduced: pl. XLIVa
    Hollis, Howard C. “Three Rajput Pictures.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 25, no. 6 (June 1938): 113–114. Mentioned: p. 113-114 www.jstor.org
    Archer, W. G. Indian Painting in the Punjab Hills; Essays. London: H.M. Stationary Off, 1952. Guler no. 18
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 773 archive.org
    Sickman, L. C. S. Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections. New York: Asia Society, 1960. Mentioned: cat. no. 31b, p. 64
    Lee, Sherman E. and George Montgomery. Rajput Painting; with an introductory essay and catalogue notes. New York: Asia House, 1960. Reproduced: p. 81; plate 76
    Coates, Robert M.. "The Art Galleries Here and There." The New Yorker (December 31, 1960): 45-47. Mentioned: p. 45
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 240 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 240 archive.org
    Spink, Walter M. Krishnamandala. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan, 1971. Reproduced: p. 75, fig. 85; Mentioned: p. 122.
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 310 archive.org
    Leach, Linda York. Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1986. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 115
  • Indian Gallery 242 Rotation – April-November 2017. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (April 10-November 6, 2017).
    The Twain Shall Meet. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 30, 1985-January 5, 1986).
    Rajput Painting. Asia House, New York, NY (December 3, 1960-January 22, 1961).
    Rajput Painting. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 22, 1961).
    India's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 2, 1949-January 22, 1950).
  • {{cite web|title=Krishna Awaiting Radha|url=false|author=|year=c. 1750–60|access-date=05 May 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1936.685