- Title
- Krishna Stealing the Clothes of the Gopis
- Date Made
- mid-20th century
- Medium
- Ink on palm leaf
- Dimensions
- 1 7/8 x 12 in. (4.76 x 30.48 cm)
- Accession Number
- AC1999.127.24
- Collecting Area
- South and Southeast Asian Art
- Curatorial Notes
Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, is widely beloved as the Hindu god of devotion. Themes of his childhood and adolescence are the primary focus of his numerous portrayals in myth and image. His youthful exploits as an adorable, mischievous toddler and his teenage exploits as a flute-playing cowherd and amorous youth dallying in the fields of rapture engendered the bhakti (devotion) movement. Krishna’s life stories relate many romantic encounters in the Vrindavan forest with the gopis (herdswomen), particularly his adulterous relationship with Radha, his principal consort and truelove.
Krishna is represented as the central figure of the symmetrical composition drawn on this palm leaf folio. He sits majestically in a tree playing his flute. Beneath the tree a group of gopis are depicted with long wet hair after bathing. Krishna had stolen the gopis’ clothes so they would be forced to show themselves and, thus, metaphorically reveal their souls to him. The gopis are making salutatory gestures towards Krishna in his honor. See also M.71.1.32 and M.86.250.1.
