Leaf from a Kalighat album: Krishna as Kali worshipped by Radha (recto); Krishna quells the serpent Kaliya (verso) (c. 1890): Art, History and Details

Leaf from a Kalighat album: Krishna as Kali worshipped by Radha (recto); Krishna quells the serpent Kaliya (verso) (c. 1890) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Krishna’s cowgirl (gopi) Radha was Ayanaghosha’s wife, and her devotion to him transcended marital ties. Whenever Radha was together with Krishna and her husband appeared, Krishna instantly transformed himself into Kali and Radha into her devotee. Radha, a model devotee, symbolizes the human soul and its longing for god. Her willingness to break the rules of duty (dharma) exemplifies her devotion. On the verso is another scene from Krishna's life. The serpent Kaliya was poisoning the water of a great pool by the Yamuna River, near the residence of the cowherd community where Krishna spent his youth. The animals were dying from the toxins. Krishna wrestled the mighty serpent, then emerged from the water to dance on his head. Pleading with Krishna to set him free, Kaliya’s wives are shown like mermaids.

Object facts

• Title: Leaf from a Kalighat album: Krishna as Kali worshipped by Radha (recto); Krishna quells the serpent Kaliya (verso)
• Date: c. 1890
• Culture: Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera, graphite, and ink on paper
• Dimensions: Secondary Support: 48.1 x 29.7 cm (18 15/16 x 11 11/16 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2003.113

Collection credit

Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.