Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 16251700s · Study 2006.203

Context from the museum

Indra, king of the gods and controller of rain and thunder, was furious when Krishna decided to eat his annual offerings. Perched on his white elephant, Indra sent storms to destroy Krishna and his cowherd community, but Krishna effortlessly raised the nearby Mount Govardhan like an umbrella, and everyone rejoiced in his protection. Krishna balances the mountain on one finger while fluting and taking refreshment ( paan ) from a milkmaid. Below the figure of four-armed Krishna, Indra is shown defeated, kneeling in acquiescence to Krishna’s superior power.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

This page is from a rare, illustrated Persian translation of a Hindu sacred text.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625 is 18 cm wide and 23.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 7.1 × 9.3 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.77:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.04 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 6.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 141.0 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan, from a Persian translation of the Bhagavata Purana, c. 1625 in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 18 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?