JAIPUR SCHOOL MINIATURE PAINTING OF KRISHNA DANCING ON KALIYA (KALIYA MARDAN), 19TH CENTURY

A FINE AND VIBRANT 19TH-CENTURY JAIPUR SCHOOL MINIATURE PAINTING DEPICTING THE HINDU MYTHOLOGICAL SCENE OF LORD KRISHNA PERFORMING THE KALIYA MARDAN LILA. THE COMPOSITION SHOWS THE BLUE-SKINNED KRISHNA GRACEFULLY DANCING UPON THE COILED HOOD OF THE VENOMOUS SERPENT KALIYA, SYMBOLISING THE TRIUMPH OF DIVINE POWER OVER EVIL. KRISHNA IS ADORNED WITH AN ELABORATE CROWN, JEWELLERY, AND FLOWING GARMENTS, WHILE TWO DEVOTED GOPIS STAND ON EITHER SIDE HOLDING LOTUS FLOWERS IN GESTURES OF REVERENCE. RENDERED IN RICH MINERAL PIGMENTS WITH DELICATE LINE WORK AND BRILLIANT COLOURS, THE PAINTING EXEMPLIFIES THE ELEGANT DRAFTSMANSHIP, REFINED FIGURAL STYLE, AND DEVOTIONAL ICONOGRAPHY ASSOCIATED WITH THE JAIPUR SCHOOL OF RAJASTHAN. A HIGHLY COLLECTABLE EXAMPLE OF 19TH-CENTURY RAJPUT MINIATURE PAINTING, APPEALING TO COLLECTORS OF INDIAN MINIATURES, HINDU MYTHOLOGICAL ART, AND RAJASTHANI PAINTINGS.