Nitai and Gaur (c. 1890): Art, History and Details

Nitai and Gaur (c. 1890) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

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

Pictured are Gaur (the Golden One) and Nitai (he who embodies eternal bliss), Gaur’s disciple par excellence. Gaur, also known as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is believed by his followers to be an incarnation of Lord Krishna. Nitai is believed to be an avatar of Balarama and, therefore, the brother and friend of Krishna. They are depicted here with hands raised, chanting a devotional song.

Object facts

• Title: Nitai and Gaur
• Date: c. 1890
• Culture: Eastern India, Bengal, Kolkata, Kalighat
• Type: Painting
• Technique: Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper
• Dimensions: Secondary Support: 50 x 29.6 cm (19 11/16 x 11 5/8 in.); Painting only: 45.4 x 27.8 cm (17 7/8 x 10 15/16 in.)
• Collection: Indian Art
• Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
• Accession number: 2003.154

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.