Seven Heroes or Warriors Killing Abhimanya, Son of Arjuna
Unknown Artist
c. 1890
Medium
Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper
Dimensions
painting only: 45.6 × 27.7 cm · secondary support: 49.9 × 30 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward
Accession Number
2003.144
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Abhimanyu (son of Arjuna and Subhadra, nephew of Krishna) is a tragic figure from the epic Mahabharata (The Great History of the Descendants of Bharat). As a fetus in his mother’s womb he hears how to penetrate the Chakravyuha, a circular pattern of troops, from his father Arjuna who is talking with his mother Subhadra. Noticing that Subhadra is asleep, Arjuna stops speaking and does not explain to her how to escape after attacking it. Abhimanyu thus only has partial knowledge. Here he is depict...