Akrura Drives Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, from the “Isarda Bhagavata Purana”
1565
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1565
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Akrura Drives Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, from the “Isarda Bhagavata Purana” is a 1565 unspecified by Unknown, a Mughal Painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
A chariot races across a pink sky, carrying two brothers—one dark blue, one pale. Villagers wave goodbye as the pair leaves their childhood home. The scene feels rushed, like a moment pulled from a longer story. This is a single page from a Hindu manuscript, painted in Rajasthan around 1560. The bright pinks—sky, chariot, clothes—stand out. Most older works from this region used softer colors. The urgency in the brothers’ poses tells you they’re heading toward danger. To see more pages like this, look up *northwestern india, rajasthan, isarda*.
A page from a Hindu manuscript shows the dark-skinned Krishna and his white-skinned brother leaving their companions in the cowherd village where they grew up. They are on their way to confront their evil uncle who killed their siblings and imprisoned their parents. Their gestures urgently indicate the direction of their journey. A preference for the color pink in the sky, chariot, and garments distinguishes this work from those of pre-Mughal creation.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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