Page 178 - March 23 2022 Boinghams NYC Indian and Himalayan Art

476
A PAINTING OF KRISHNA STEALING BUTTERMILK FROM
THE RAFTERS
NORTH INDIA, PUNJAB HILLS, MANDI, CIRCA 1820
Folio 6æ x 4√ in. (17.1 x 12.4 cm.)
Image 5√ x 4º in. (14.9 x 10.8 cm.)
$10,000-15,000

This charming painting tells a beloved story of Krishna’s childhood pranks
with his brother and fellow gopas, or cowherds. In the present scene,
Krishna sits upon Balarama’s shoulders and reaches for the clay pots of
buttermilk hanging from the rafters. Krishna shovels the curd from a matka
into his anxious companions’ bowls, as one boy eats from a pot that has
fallen and spilled open on the floor. Normally, paintings of this scene depict
Krishna as a young child or toddler. In the present example, Krishna and
his mates are well into their adolescence; however, the playful innocence
of this trick is fully retained.

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