PaintingsIndian19th century

The Infant Krishna Floating on the Cosmic Ocean (painting, recto), illustration from the Bhagavata Purana

mid 19th century

Description

This painting depicts the blue-skinned Hindu god Krishna as an infant, sucking his toe as he lies on a banyan leaf, floating in the primordial ocean. The imagery of a baby reclining on a banyan tree (vatavriksha) or leaf (vatapatra) is found in the texts of the Mahabharata, the Matsya Purana, and the Bhagavata Purana. In the context of the pictorial depictions of the theme in the Bhagavata Purana, the child is usually depicted lying on a banyan leaf. According to the twelfth book of the Bhagavata Purana, the sage Markandeya gained immortality and swam across the cosmic ocean indefinitely. As he swam in the cosmic ocean, he came across the infant Krishna, who opened his mouth to reveal the creation of the universe. Krishna’s infancy represents the formation of a new world cycle. The rich blue hue of Krishna’s skin and heavy, dreamy eyes are characteristic of paintings from Nathdwara. The ‘Vatapatrasayi Krishna’ or ‘Bala-Mukunda’ became an important theme starting in the 18th century in the paintings of Nathdwara in Rajasthan, a great center of Vallabha Sampradaya, a religious sect devoted to the worship of Krishna. Rajput, Rajasthani, Nathdwara School.

Classification

Paintings

Medium

Opaque watercolor, gold, and metallic gray pigment on paper

Culture

Indian

Century

19th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Islamic & Later Indian Art