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Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana

Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana, unspecified, 1762
Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana, unspecified, 1762

Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1762 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This miniature painting, taken from a large Basohli manuscript of the Bhagavata Purana, depicts two riders moving across a gently undulating landscape. The figures are positioned side by side on brown horses, each adorned with red saddles, against a backdrop of trees and open fields rendered in a stylized, almost theatrical manner.

Subject & Meaning

The scene illustrates the episode of Akrura traveling toward Dwarka, a narrative episode from the Bhagavata Purana in which Akrura, a devotee of Krishna, journeys to meet the deity. The composition emphasizes the journey motif, with the two riders representing Akrura and a companion, underscoring themes of devotion and pilgrimage within the text.

Technique & Style

Executed in the Basohli school of Pahari painting, the work employs bold black outlines and flat, saturated colors that give the image a vivid, decorative quality. The landscape is rendered with minimal perspective, creating a stage‑like setting where figures and horses stand out against simplified foliage and hills.

History & Provenance

The piece originates from a late 18th‑century manuscript produced in the Basohli region of Jammu‑Kashmir, an area renowned for its vivid miniature painting tradition. The manuscript was later disassembled, and this leaf entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed alongside other examples of Pahari art.

Akrura and Kritavarma flee Dvaraka, page from the "Large Basohli Bhagavata Purana"
Akrura and Kritavarma flee Dvaraka, page from the "Large Basohli Bhagavata Purana"

Artist & collection

VISUALLY SIMILAR

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana?

Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana?

Akrura Rides toward Dwarka, page from the large Basohli Bhagavata Purana is associated with Bengal School.