Krishna and Radha

dated equivalent to July 20, 1856

Not on view

Krishna is represented here as the flute playing Lord, Venugopal, charming his lover the gopi (cow-maid) Radha with sweet music. The lovers are seen standing together on a golden dais in an interior framed by drawn curtains, a setting somewhat suggestive of stage and photographic studio settings. A pair of gopis attend them. This much favored subject is more typically situated in a forest glade, the setting for Krishna and Radha’s tryst. The romantic encounter of the divine Krishna and the mortal cow-maid fueled Vaishnava devotional texts, especially in the early modern period. Bengal experienced a renaissance of devotional literature from the 15th century onwards that celebrated this expression of divine passion, the writings in turn finding expression in a variety of visual art forms.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Krishna and Radha
Artist: Becharam Das Dutta
Date: dated equivalent to July 20, 1856
Culture: West Bengal, Calcutta, Kalighat
Medium: Lithograph printed in black, with watercolor and selectively applied glaze
Dimensions: Sheet: 16 3/8 × 11 1/8 in. (41.6 × 28.3 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Gift of Mark Baron and Elise Boisanté, 2021
Object Number: 2021.325.2
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

By Becharam Das Dutta

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Layla Visiting Majnun in the Desert, Becharam Das Dutta, Lithograph and applied watercolor and selectively applied glaze, West Bengal, Kalighat, Calcutta — Layla Visiting Majnun in the Desert
Becharam Das Dutta
August 26, 1856

Krishna and Balarama depart Vrindavan, Becharam Das Dutta, Lithograph printed in black, with watercolor and selectively applied glaze, West Bengal, Calcutta, Kalighat — Krishna and Balarama depart Vrindavan
Becharam Das Dutta
dated equivalent to 1856

Goddess Bhairavi, Shib Gobin Lal, Lithograph, printed in black and hand-colored with yellow and pink watercolor. Selectively applied glaze, West Bengal, Calcutta — Goddess Bhairavi
Shib Gobin Lal
ca. 1870–80

Goddess Matangi, Sasadhar Banarjee Indian, Lithograph, printed in black and hand-colored with watercolor, selectively applied glaze, West Bengal, Calcutta — Goddess Matangi
Sasadhar Banarjee
ca. 1875–85

Sri Sri Kali (recto); Kali (verso), G. C. Dass (recto), Recto: lithograph, printed in black and hand-colored in red, crimson, and yellow watercolor, selectively applied glaze. Verso: lithograph, printed in black, West Bengal, Calcutta — Sri Sri Kali (recto); Kali (verso)
G. C. Dass
Unidentified artist
ca. 1880–85 (recto); ca. 1875–85 (verso)

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.