Krishna Fluting for the Gopis
Late 18th or early 19th century
Medium
Opaque watercolor, gold and tin alloy on paper
Dimensions
65 × 49.2 cm (25 5/8 × 19 3/8 in.)
Classification
painting
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
131815
Art Historical Context
In the enchanting painting *Krishna Fluting for the G*, created in the late 18th or early 19th century, an artist captures a timeless scene from Hindu mythology. Krishna, the beloved blue-skinned deity and incarnation of Vishnu, plays his flute amidst a group of entranced gopis (milkmaids). This devotional motif, drawn from the *Bhagavata Purana*, symbolizes divine love and the soul's longing for union with the divine, a core theme in bhakti traditions that flourished in northern India during this era. Rendered in opaque watercolor heightened with gold and tin alloy on paper, the work exempli...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...