"Krishna and the Gopis on the Bank of the Yamuna River", Folio from the "Second" or "Tehri Garhwal" Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd)
This luminous painting illustrates an episode from the literary masterpiece the Gita Govinda composed by the poet Jayadeva in the twelfth century. The text and paintings together celebrate the spiritual and erotic love of Krishna and Radha. Here, the Divine Couple embrace, surrounded by gopis, or milkmaids, who express their longing for the Lord. The idyllic pastoral setting and the sweetness of the figure style are hallmarks of the influential style of the painter Nainsukh and his family. It has been suggested that this series may have been created for Maharaja Sansar Chand of Kangra’s first wedding in 1781, when he would have been sixteen years old.
Artwork Details
- Title: "Krishna and the Gopis on the Bank of the Yamuna River", Folio from the "Second" or "Tehri Garhwal" Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd)
- Date: ca. 1775–80
- Culture: India
- Medium: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; dark blue border with red inner rules
- Dimensions: H. 6 3/8 in. ( 16.2 cm)
W. 10 1/8 in. (25.7 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 2017
- Object Number: 2017.736
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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India
1500–500 BCE
India, Ancient kingdom of Kashmir
9th century
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ca. 1st century BCE–1st century CE
Indian (Tamil Nadu)
ca. first quarter of the 10th century
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late 18th century
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