Title
Krishna playing the flute
Year/Period
Early 19th century
Region
Tamil Nadu, South India
Material
Technique
Coating, Painting, Gilding, Gesso - The Tanjore paintings are prepared on wood and cloth surface while they used raw lime powder with a paste made of powdered seeds of tamarind for Gesso work. Gesso is the gilding technique that varies from guild to guild. The guilding in Tanjore is using high relief, where gold-coated silver leaf is used.
Dimension
Image size: 100 x 74.5 cm
Accession No.
1995-00892
Collection of
This is a painting of Krishna in his characteristic pose as Venugopala playing the flute. The painting is bound by a multi -arched canopy gilded with semi-precious stones in the typical style of the Tanjore School of painting. Krishna is seen here flanked by two gopis (female cowherds) and cows. The gopis are dressed like Tamil women, their saris, jewellery and even hairdo are unique to the 19th century fashion. The appearance of violin and tanpura, suggest the popularity of these musical instruments and veneration of the deity through music and dance. Typical of this genre, this work was likely used as a votive picture for personal worship.
