AN INDIAN MINIATURE PAINTING OF KRISHNA WITH THE GOPIS North India, Kangra, Punjab Hills, 19^th century. Watercolors, ink and gold on paper. Depicting a female incarnation of Krishna with four arms, the main hands holding a flute and the others with various attributes, surrounded by gopis, one holding a large fan of peacock feathers, and a mother Nandi bull and young, each wearing a jeweled necklace, all in a palace terrace setting and framed by a floral and foliate border.

Inscription: The back with a short inscription in black ink and a collector’s inventory number “9.84”.

Provenance: From a private collection in New York City, USA.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, traces of aging and soiling. Matted and framed behind glass.

Dimensions: Image size 20.5 x 15.5 cm, Size incl. frame 34.2 x 28.6 cm

Gopis are famous within Vaishnavism for their unconditional devotion (bhakti) to Krishna as described in the Bhagavata Purana and other Puranic literature. According to Indian philosopher Jiva Goswami, gopis are considered as the eternal beloved and manifestation of Krishna’s internal spiritual potency. Among the gopis, Radha is the chief and the personification of bliss potency (hladini shakti) of Krishna.

Literature comparison: Compare a related miniature painting of Krishna with the Gopis in the collection of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, inventory number 2006.10.

Auction result comaprison: Compare a related miniature painting of Krishna with Gopis and bulls at Christie’s London in Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds on 1 April 2021, lot 68, sold for GBP 21,250.