Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625

Description

Indra, king of the gods and controller of rain and thunder, was furious when Krishna decided to eat his annual offerings. Perched on his white elephant, Indra sent storms to destroy Krishna and his cowherd community, but Krishna effortlessly raised the nearby Mount Govardhan like an umbrella, and everyone rejoiced in his protection. Krishna balances the mountain on one finger while fluting and taking refreshment (paan) from a milkmaid. Below the figure of four-armed Krishna, Indra is shown defeated, kneeling in acquiescence to Krishna’s superior power.

Provenance

Eugene and Joan Savitt, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–2006); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2006–)

Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625

[]

1700s

Accession Number

2006.203

Medium

gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper

Dimensions

Sheet: 32.3 x 24.1 cm (12 11/16 x 9 1/2 in.); Image: 23.5 x 18 cm (9 1/4 x 7 1/16 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Eugene and Joan Savitt in memory of Dr. and Mrs. E.K. Zaworski, her grandparents