KRISHNA PURSUED BY KALJAMAN
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KRISHNA PURSUED BY KALJAMAN

MANKOT, CIRCA 1730

Details
KRISHNA PURSUED BY KALJAMAN
Mankot, circa 1730
An illustration to a Bhagavata Purana series, gouache heightened with gold and silver on paper, Krishna and Kaljaman, Krishna in dark red dhoti holding on his left shoulder a cowherd's stick is pursued by Kaljaman in blue tunic, orange jama and mauve embroidered boots, holding a sword in a red scabbard, yellow background with rim of blue sky, black margin and white rules, figures obtruding into it, red leaf, white takri title above and no. 40 below right, edges reinforced on reverse, mounted
11¼ x 8½ in. (28.1.2 x 21 1/3 cm)
Provenance
Raja Dhruv Dev Chand of Lambagraon
Ray Lewis, San Francisco, November 1963
Literature
W.G. Archer: Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills, London, 1973, no. 68, pp. 128-9
W.G. Archer, Visions of Courtly India, London and New York, 1976, Mankot no.36(iii), p. 296
Enrico Isacco and Anna Dallapiccola (eds), Krishna the Divine Lover, London and Boston, 1982, pl. 71, p. 73
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Following Krishna's defeat of Jarasandha the demon Kaljaman was invited by Narada the sage to do battle with Krishna. Kaljaman Advanced with his army on Mathura. Krishna in response Directed Vishvakarma to build the city of Dwarka in one night and then to convey there Ugrasena, Vasudeva and the remaining Yadavas. Krishna then appeared before Kaljaman who taunted him, upon which Krishna ran away. Kaljaman set off alone in pursuit, thereby leaving the protection of his army.

A number of paintings from this very clearly drawn series are known. William Archer (1973 op.cit.) illustrates two more as nos.36(i) and 36(ii), p.296. Some still remain in the Lambagraon royal family collection in Kangra, where they probably came through marriage (M.S. Randhawa, Basohli Painting, Calcutta, 1959, frontis. and pls. 8-10). Archer illustrates a slightly earlier version of the same depictions as is found here, painted at Mankot in around 1700-1710 and now in the Chandigarh Museum, Mankot Raj Collection (vol.II, no.25(vii)). Both figures in each version are painted in identical poses; here the adaptation to a vertical format means that the figures burst through into the margins.

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