Artwork
Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan
Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1793 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
While the artist remains unidentified, the museum acquired the piece, which depicts the Hindu deity Krishna, as part of its holdings.
The painting titled Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan dates to 1785. It was created by an artist who remains unidentified. The work is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 2001.45.
No further details regarding the original commission, specific patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are provided in the available records.
The painting Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, dated to 1785, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland. The work is cataloged under the accession number 2001.45. While the artist remains unidentified, the museum acquired the piece, which depicts the Hindu deity Krishna, as part of its holdings.
The provided sources do not list specific exhibition histories or prior provenance details for this artwork.
Legacy
The painting Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, dated 1785, is an oil on canvas work attributed to an unknown artist and classified as a painting.
It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art collection, where it is exhibited and studied, contributing to the museum’s presentation of 18th‑century devotional subjects.
Its depiction of the Hindu deity Krishna has made it a reference point for scholarship on Indian mythological subjects in Western museum contexts.
Overview
This painting, titled Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, depicts the purple-skinned deity holding a pink mountain aloft with his left hand. A crowd of villagers and cattle gaze upwards in astonishment, their expressions conveying a mix of awe and reverence. Krishna, adorned with a crown and necklace, maintains a solemn demeanor as he performs this miraculous feat, central to the composition.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork illustrates a pivotal narrative from Hindu mythology, where Krishna protects the inhabitants of Vrindavan from the wrath of the god Indra. By effortlessly raising Mount Govardhan, Krishna provides shelter for the villagers and their livestock during a torrential storm. This act demonstrates his divine power and his role as a benevolent protector, reinforcing his status as a supreme deity.
Technique & Style
The artist employs chiaroscuro, a technique utilizing strong contrasts between light and dark, to enhance the dramatic impact of the scene. This method sculpts the figures and the mountain, creating a sense of depth and volume. The interplay of light and shadow draws attention to Krishna's powerful gesture and the awestruck faces of the onlookers, intensifying the emotional resonance of the divine intervention.
Artist & collection
