Krishna Brings the Messenger Akrura Inside Nanda’s House: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Manuscript

ca. 1620–30

Not on view

Akrura was dispatched by the evil king Kamsa to invite Krishna and Balarama to a function at his palace. While traveling to reach the gods, Akrura becomes a fervent devotee and therefore reveals the evil king’s plan to have them killed. As with many of the pages in this manuscript, inscriptions on the painted surface identify the characters represented; this feature, coupled with the simplified compositions, might suggest that this manuscript was commissioned by a non-royal patron.

Artwork Details

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Exhibition History

Title: Krishna Brings the Messenger Akrura Inside Nanda’s House: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Manuscript
Date: ca. 1620–30
Culture: India (Rajasthan, Mewar)
Medium: Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 13 1/4 in. (16.5 x 33.7 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Eisenberg, 1983
Object Number: 1983.507.3
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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