Description
Abstract concentric circles depict water churned up by the gopis, or cowherd women, who are swimming and playing with joy and abandon. In their midst, the blue-skinned Krishna reaches for a gopi’s breast. Their love play is celebrated by celestial beings in the sky who offer flower garlands and beat on a drum. Every figure’s face is shown in profile—a hallmark of Indian painting of the early 1500s perpetuated by artists wishing to emphasize Indian rather than Persian depictions of the human form.
Provenance
Sandor L. Feldman, Washington, DC; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin N. Haas, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–1971); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1971–)
Accession Number
1971.171
Medium
Gum tempera and ink on paper
Dimensions
Overall: 16.5 x 22.2 cm (6 1/2 x 8 3/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin N. Haas