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Kamsa deploys Akrura and Keshi to Braj, from a Bhagavata Purana — Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

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Written by: Zeynep BozkurtSpecialist · Miniature Painting
Miniature Painting · Catalogue no. 19983
Northern India, Pahari kingdoms

Kamsa deploys Akrura and Keshi to Braj, from a Bhagavata Purana

StatusReference work · Not for sale
Held byCleveland Museum of Art
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The king on the low gold throne at center is Kamsa, evil tyrant and uncle of the Hindu god Krishna. He heard that Krishna would one day kill him, so he asked his friend Akrura to bring Krishna to the court for a wrestling match, where he plans to have Krishna murdered. Akrura, in green, stands reverently before him, bowing slightly. Wrestlers sit behind Akrura. <br><br>The decorative patterns, crisp lines, pale colors, and interest in conveying spatial depth are stylistic characteristics associated with painting of the mid-1800s. After this time, royal patrons began to prefer photography, printed books, and oil paintings, signaling a new era of visual culture in India.

Artist / MakerNorthern India, Pahari kingdoms
Datec. 1830
Culture / OriginNorthern India, Pahari kingdoms
MediumGum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
DimensionsOverall: 29.2 x 37.4 cm (11 1/2 x 14 3/4 in.); Painting only: 22.9 x 32.4 cm (9 x 12 3/4 in.)
DepartmentIndian and Southeast Asian Art
TypePainting
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Provenance & Source

Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.

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