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Krishna Lifting Mount Govardhan
c. 1780–90
- Medium
- gum tempera and gold on paper
- Classification
- Painting
- Dimensions
- Image: 20.6 x 14 cm (8 1/8 x 5 1/2 in.); with borders: 21.6 x 15.2 cm (8 1/2 x 6 in.)
- Culture
- Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Pahari Kingdom of Kangra
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Indian and Southeast Asian Art
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
View at the Cleveland Museum of Art
About this work
Krishna supports Mount Govardhan with nothing but his little finger as he gazes into the eyes of his favorite cowherd girl, Radha, and pats the head of a child. His brother Balarama, with white skin and a blue garment, adds further support with a staff. The cows and members of the herding community all cluster close to Krishna, sheltered from the raging storm sent by Indra riding his white elephant in the sky.