"Balarama and Krishna Fighting the Enemy", Folio from a Harivamsa (The Legend of Hari (Krishna))

ca. 1590–95
Not on view
The Harivamsa recounts the story of Krishna, one of the incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu. In this battle scene, Krishna, dressed in yellow and holding his discus, stands atop a mountain. Carrying his own attributes of the plow and pestle, Krishna’s older brother Balarama strikes a soldier of the opposing army. This manuscript, commissioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556–1606), is one of many examples of Hindu texts that were translated and illustrated during Akbar’s reign, as the Emperor took a keen interest in the traditions and stories of other religious groups in India, founding a translation center to facilitate the spread of knowledge.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: "Balarama and Krishna Fighting the Enemy", Folio from a Harivamsa (The Legend of Hari (Krishna))
  • Date: ca. 1590–95
  • Geography: Attributed to present-day Pakistan, probably Lahore
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: Image: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm)
    W. 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)
    Page: H. 13 3/4 in. (34.9 cm)
    W. 9 1/8 in. (23.2 cm)
    Mat: H. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm)
    W. 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Edward C. Moore Jr. Gift, 1928
  • Object Number: 28.63.2
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.