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Nanda Solves Vasudeva’s Dilemma, from a Bhagavata Purana

Unknown

1610

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Mughal Painting Baroque Religious

Dominant colour

Nanda Solves Vasudeva’s Dilemma, from a Bhagavata Purana is a 1610 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1610 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see three boys standing behind an elder named Nanda, who’s promising to hide baby Krishna. On the left, Krishna’s father Vasudeva looks relieved. The scene is flat, with bright colors and sharp outlines—no shadows, just clear shapes. This painting comes from a royal collection in Bikaner, part of a series telling stories from a sacred Hindu text. The style is simple but full of meaning, made for a king who wanted to honor his faith. Look up paintings from the Rajput kingdom of Bikaner to see more like it.

The story of this work

Overview

Three cowherd boys stand behind their village elder Nanda, who agrees to hide the newborn Krishna, an incarnation of a Hindu god. At the left is Krishna’s father, Vasudeva, who has made this request in order to protect the child from slaughter by the despotic king, who had heard a prophecy that Krishna would one day kill him. This painting is from a series depicting scenes from a sacred Hindu text and was part of the royal Bikaner collection. The simple, geometric composition, profile views, and flat planes of color show adherence to long-standing local artistic styles.

Read the full account in the museum source.