The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 18, 2025

Vertically oriented painting with the blue-skinned god Krishna standing center right, his hands raised out before his face as women with light to medium skin tones dressed in orange, brown, and green surround him. On our left, the largest group of women predominantly look at and gesture to Krishna, on our right a smaller group look at one another, and below, more women sit on the edge of a river filled with lotus buds.

Krishna and the Gopis Gather for Rasamandala

c. 1720–30

Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Kota

Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Image: 41.5 x 28.5 cm (16 5/16 x 11 1/4 in.); Overall: 50 x 32.5 cm (19 11/16 x 12 13/16 in.)
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund 1960.45
Location: Not on view

Description

On the banks of a river full of lotus flowers, the blue god Krishna address the gopis, women of the cowherding community where he spent his youth. At first, they approach him, smiling and delighted, proclaiming that he is the god of love, shining like the full moon above. When he tells them that he is soon leaving them, they fall to the ground, distraught. Although the figures of the gopis are painted individually, with varied skin colors and garments, they act collectively.
  • ?–1960
    (Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1960–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Lee, Sherman E. "Year in Review 1960." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 47, no. 10 (December 1960): 223-54. Mentioned: P. 252, no. 45 www.jstor.org
    Lee, Sherman E. and George Montgomery. Rajput Painting; with an introductory essay and catalogue notes. New York: Asia House, 1960. Reproduced: pp. 36–37; plate 28
    Heeramaneck, Alice N. Masterpieces of Indian Painting: From the Former Collections of Nasli M. Heeramaneck. Verona, Italy: A.N. Heeramaneck, 1984. Mentioned: p. 26; reproduced: p. 73, pl. 67
    Leach, Linda York. Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1986. Mentioned and reproduced: P. 191-193, cat. no. 74
  • Shahzia Sikander: Collective Behavior. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 14-June 8, 2025).
    Dance of the Gods: Indian Art Inspired by Music. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 24-December 8, 1996).
    Year in Review - Nineteen Hundred Sixty. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 1, 1961).
    Rajput Painting. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 22, 1961).
  • {{cite web|title=Krishna and the Gopis Gather for Rasamandala|url=false|author=|year=c. 1720–30|access-date=18 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1960.45