The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 25, 2024
A Serpent Protects Vasudeva Taking His Infant Son Krishna to Safety
c. 1890
Painting only: 45 x 27.7 cm (17 11/16 x 10 7/8 in.)
Location: not on view
Did You Know?
In the lower right, the name Vasudeva is written in the Bengali dialect as “Bashoodeva.”Description
In the dead of night, Krishna was born to parents who were imprisoned by his evil uncle, the usurper King Kamsa. While a goddess compelled the guards to sleep, Krishna’s father, Vasudeva, in the middle of a storm, spirited the newborn to safety in a cowherd village, where he exchanged Krishna for another infant. In the morning, Kamsa murdered the infant he thought was the child of Vasudeva, and Krishna lived to be raised by the herders.- ?-2003William E. Ward [1922-2004], Solon, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art2003-The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Life and Exploits of Krishna in Indian Paintings (Indian art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 1, 2021-February 6, 2022).
- {{cite web|title=A Serpent Protects Vasudeva Taking His Infant Son Krishna to Safety|url=false|author=|year=c. 1890|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.153