Lot 71
71
AN ILLUSTRATION TO THE HARIVAMSA: KRISHNA BREAKS THE BOW OF KAMSA AT MATHURA
These lots have been imported from outside the EU … Read more
AN ILLUSTRATION TO THE HARIVAMSA: KRISHNA BREAKS THE BOW OF KAMSA AT MATHURA

ATTRIBUTED TO PURKHU, KANGRA, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1800-15

Details
AN ILLUSTRATION TO THE HARIVAMSA: KRISHNA BREAKS THE BOW OF KAMSA AT MATHURA
ATTRIBUTED TO PURKHU, KANGRA, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1800-15
Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, blue-skinned Krishna accompanied by white Balarama arrives at Mathura, locates the golden bow of Kamsa and much to the amazement of the onlookers breaks it in half, Kamsa in green is woken by the sound of the bow breaking and orders his guards to attack Krishna, set inside blue rules on red margins, Kamsa identified with devanagri inscriptions, the reverse numbered 113 in devanagari
Painting 12¾ x 16¾in. (32.5 x 42.5cm.); folio 14 1/8 x 18 3/8in. (35.8 x 46.7cm.)
Special notice
These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Romain Pingannaud
Romain Pingannaud
+44 (0) 20 7752 3233

Lot Essay

This present painting originates from a series of now dispersed illustrations to a Harivamsa series which is also known as the ‘Nadaun Bhagavata Purana series’ that was previously in the possession of the Raja of Nadaun. B.N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer have attributed this series to the artist Purkhu. The distinctive conical turbans worn by Krishna and Balarama are identical to those found on a further illustration from this same series now in the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh, (B.N. Goswamy and Eberhard Fischer, ‘Purkhu of Kangra’, in Milo C. Beach, Eberhard Fischer and B.N. Goswamy Ed., Masters of Indian Painting, Zurich 2011, fig.4, p. 726). Our present work is notable for the juxtaposed angular architecture which frames the central scene of Krishna breaking of the bow. The composition of the architecture allows Purkhu to wind the narrative of the episode around this central scene drawing the viewer’s attention to the four corners of the work. For a painting attributed to the school of Purkhu and for a list of other works attributed to him which have sold recently at auction see lot 69 in this sale.

More from Arts of India

View All
View All