LORD KRISHNA

The exhibition presents 13 miniatures and 6 sculptures from the National Gallery collection.
The god of protection, compassion, tenderness and love, Krishna is central to Hindu philosophy, theology, and mythology. In literature, miniatures, and sculpture, he is represented in a variety of subjects and roles, recreating iconic moments from the narratives and beliefs about him.
The most popular are the representations of him as a baby endowed with special powers, holding a pot of butter; as a little boy dancing on the many heads of the naga, Kāliyā; as the seven-year-old Shrinathji, with his arm extended upwards, symbolising the rescue of his devotees from a disastrous storm.
Alongside the legends, his heroic battles, unfolding in a combination of different moments in time and place, have provided a wealth of material for the imagination of artists.
His love adventures with the cowherd women, known as gopis, are richly illustrated. In one sculpture, he is represented as Krishna playing the flute, while in a miniature, in a moment of play or intimacy with Radha, the most beloved of all the gopis.
The exhibition was prepared by Zlatka Dimitrova and Alexandra Yaneva, curators at the National Gallery.