Panel from a jewelry casket: Krishna slays Putana

ca. mid-16th century

Not on view

This panel from an ivory casket combines the form of a medieval European casket with wondrous scenes of purely Indian origin, the story Krishna slaying the demoness Putana. The artist has brilliantly condensed this narrative into three seminal moments, the deception, the abduction and the slaying of the abductor, all enacted below turbulent heavens occupied by the demonic king Kamsa who has orchestrated this act of evil. First, the ogress, in the guise of a beautiful woman, is seen in the act of picking up the infant Krishna. A sheathed sword at her feet references the text’s use of a sword as a metaphor for her concealed and lethal nature. Next, the demoness, now revealed in her true ogress-form, abducts Krishna. In the third and climatic moment, the infant Krishna suckles her poisoned breast and drains all life from her. The evil king Kamsa, usurper of the throne of Mathura, rages in the tumultuous clouds above.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Title: Panel from a jewelry casket: Krishna slays Putana
Date: ca. mid-16th century
Culture: South India, Vijayanagara or Nayaka
Medium: Ivory
Dimensions: H. 4 7/16 in. (11.2 cm); W. 5 5/16 in. (13.5 cm); D. 5/16 in. (.8 cm)
Classification: Ivories
Credit Line: Florence and Herbert Irving Acquisitions Fund for Asian Art, 2025
Object Number: 2025.297
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

"Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album, Chitarman Indian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper — "Shah Jahan on a Terrace, Holding a Pendant Set With His Portrait", Folio from the Shah Jahan Album
Painted by Chitarman
recto: dated 1627–28; verso: ca. 1530–50

Panel from a Rectangular Box, Ivory; carved, inlaid with stone with traces of pigment — Panel from a Rectangular Box
10th–early 11th century

Flower-Style Box with Drawers, Wood (poplar); overlaid with ebony inlaid with wood and incised, stained ivory — Flower-Style Box with Drawers
17th century

Two box panels with mithuna couples, Ivory backed with gilded paper, India (Tamil Nadu) — Two box panels with mithuna couples
India (Tamil Nadu)
late 17th–early 18th century

"A King Offers to Make Amends to a Bereaved Mother", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi, Amir Khusrau Dihlavi Indian, Main support: Ink, opaque watercolor, gold on paper<br/>Margins: Gold on dyed paper — "A King Offers to Make Amends to a Bereaved Mother", Folio from a Khamsa (Quintet) of Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
Author Amir Khusrau Dihlavi
Painting attributed to Miskin
1597–98

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.