Untitled

First generation after Manaku and Nainsukh

ca. 1785 · Opaque watercolor and ink on paper · Asian Art

In this celebrated scene vividly described in the Bhagavata Purana, Krishna battles Kaliya, a hundred-headed serpent (naga) who was poisoning the river Yamuna. At first, Krishna was ensnared in the demon’s mighty coils, but he sprang free by summoning the power of the universe and trapping the snake beneath his foot. The snake submitted to Krishna’s supreme powers and the river was purified. Kaliya’s wives, seen here with serpent bodies, pleaded with Krishna to show mercy to their husband, which he granted. The dramatic composition foregrounds the beauty and power of Krishna to restore order in the world of men.

Artist

First generation after Manaku and Nainsukh

Date

ca. 1785

Medium

Opaque watercolor and ink on paper

Culture

Northern India, Garwhal, Himachal Pradesh

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1927