The death of the Giant Shankachura, from a dispersed Bhagavata Purana series
Malwa, circa 1690-1700
gouache and gold on paper, red border, nagari inscription and leaf number in upper border
200 x 377 mm.
Footnotes:
Provenance
Formerly in a private UK collection.

In the text of the poem, the episode begins with Krishna delighting the gopis with his songs. The giant Shankachura, a minion of the god of wealth Kubera, suddenly appeared and led them away. They appealed to Krishna, who, with his brother, Balarama, uprooted two trees and charged at the giant. Krishna killed him with a single blow and took the jewel from his head. A late 17th Century Bikaner depiction of the story is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1974.219). For another page from the same Malwa series in the British Museum (1972,0410.0.1), see R. Ahluwalia, Rajput Painting, London 2008, p. 115, no. 72.
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In generally good condition overall. Minor surface wear. Some slight flaking to the female figure at upper left, to the right of Krishna; to the figures to the left-hand end of the central (green) register, and to the giant and one of the female figures at the right of this register. Minor wear to red outer border.