Krishna Fluting for the Gopis

Arts of Asia

Late 18th or early 19th century

India
Rajasthan, Jodhpur

In a lush grove traversed by a silver stream filled with leaping fish and blooming lotuses, the blue-skinned Krishna woos his devoted gopis (female cowherds) by playing music on his bansuri (bamboo flute). The gopis’ infatuation with Krishna serves as a metaphor for the unconditional attachment (bhakti) of a devotee to their lord. Through personal adoration, they can attain union with the supreme deity. The theme of devotion is echoed in the pairs of waterfowl clustered around the river bank in the foreground. The painting’s large format and thumbprint foliage are characteristic of Jodhpur, capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Marwar in present-day Rajasthan and home to one of the distinguished traditions of Rajput painting.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Asia

Title: Krishna Fluting for the Gopis
Place: Jodhpur (Object made in)
Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.: 1750–1800
Medium: Opaque watercolor, gold and tin alloy on paper
Dimensions: 65 × 49.2 cm (25 5/8 × 19 3/8 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of Marilynn B. Alsdorf
Reference Number: 2014.1193
IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/131815/manifest.json

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Date Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world. Learn more.

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IIIF Manifest The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.