Important Notice

Tanjore Painting
Late 19th Century

Tamil Nadu

Size: 20 x 16 in (50.8 x 40.6 cm)


The richly ornamented baby Krishna, holding a pot full of butter close to him, has been the most fascinating subject for Tanjore painters. Tanjore paintings were patronized by the aristocracy for a very long period of time.

In this painting one can see white-hued, chubby Makhan Gopal seated on a throne of gold, holding his precious large pot of butter close to his body. Krishna is flanked by his mother by birth, Devaki, to his left and his foster mother Yashoda to his right. Both are striking and richly attired. While Yashoda offers a piece of butter to her beloved baby, Devaki holds a flower in her hand.

Krishna is shown with a faint and contented smile on his face. He wears an ornate head-dress with a peacock feather on top. He is adorned in multiple thick gold necklaces with large pendants, waistband, armbands, wristbands and anklets. A garland of fresh flowers goes around his shoulders, one end of which rests at the tip of Balkrishna's extended right foot.

An ornate, gold embossed arch stretches above the figure of Krishna, with a scalloped curtain. Two young children below the throne represent Balakrishna's childhood pastoral friends, stealing butter from a pot while a calf and an antelope behind them seem to enjoy the adventure. There are also two angels embossed in gold at the two upper corners. Being an early painting, one can see profuse use of gold, coupled with a great array of stones.

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