Baby Krishna Asking for Butter from Yashoda, from a Kalighat album

Description

As the incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, whose followers recognize as the deity who creates and destroys the universe, Krishna was always eating. Like time itself, which ultimately consumes everything, Krishna eats so much his foster mother Yashoda cannot believe it. When she looks in his mouth, she sees the cosmos and realizes he is not an ordinary baby.

Provenance

William E. Ward [1922–2004], Solon, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–2003); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2003–)

Baby Krishna Asking for Butter from Yashoda, from a Kalighat album

[]

c. 1890

Accession Number

2003.112

Medium

Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper

Dimensions

Secondary Support: 48 x 30 cm (18 7/8 x 11 13/16 in.); Painting only: 45.7 x 28 cm (18 x 11 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward