AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A MAHABHARATA SERIES: THE GANGES FLOWING FROM KRISHNA'S TOE


BIKANER, CIRCA 1600-1610 Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; inscribed in Devanagari verso, translated:
"O master of the entire universe! O Sri Hari! O Keshava! Assuming the form of a dwarf, you cheat King Bali on the pretext of begging for three paces of land. The population of the universe has become purified by the water that touched your toenails (the Ganges). O wonderful Vamanadeva, may you be victorious! Ganga is flowing from the foot of Vishnu." Image: 5 1/4 x 8 3/4 in. (13.3 x 22.2 cm);Folio: 6 5/8 x 10 in. (16.8 x 25.4 cm)
|The saint Bhagiratha, Balarama, and a devotee witness the sacred river Ganges stream from Krishna's toe. On the right register, the sage Jahu performs a fire sacrifice. Compare stylistically related paintings in the Cleveland Museum of Art (2018.189), and sold at Christie's London, 15 October 1996, lot 38. Provenance Ex-Collection Raja of Issarda Private European Collection Christie's, London, 23 April 1981, lot 9 Bonhams, London, 2 October 2012, lot 165