Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625
Unknown Artist
1700s
Medium
gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
image: 23.5 × 18 cm · sheet: 32.3 × 24.1 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Eugene and Joan Savitt in memory of Dr. and Mrs. E.K. Zaworski, her grandparents
Accession Number
2006.203
About this artwork
Indra, king of the gods and controller of rain and thunder, was furious when Krishna decided to eat his annual offerings. Perched on his white elephant, Indra sent storms to destroy Krishna and his cowherd community, but Krishna effortlessly raised the nearby Mount Govardhan like an umbrella, and everyone rejoiced in his protection. Krishna balances the mountain on one finger while fluting and taking refreshment (paan) from a milkmaid. Below the figure of four-armed Krishna, Indra is shown defea...