Eight-armed Venugopala

Title
Eight-armed Venugopala
Year/Period
15th century
Region
Vijayanagara period - Karnataka, south India
Material
Dimension
Object size: 17.8 x 9.5 cm
Accession No.
1995-01619

This is an iconographic representation of the eight-armed Venugopala or Krishna. He is seen here playing the flute standing in the 'swastika pada' (crossed feet position) along with the ayudha (weapons) of Vishnu is rather rare. This iconographic representation of Krishna as a cowherd playing on his flute became popular in south India as Mayon as early as the Sangam period but its representation in sculpture can be seen not earlier than the 11th century.