Description
This small carving is a surprising and unexpected survival of an early sculpture in wood, in this case an extremely hard to carve ebony-like material which is the reason for its having lasted for almost 500 years. And while it is a remnant of the small and beautiful piece of art that it once represented, it is still a worthwhile object suitable for any collection because of its rarity and elegance. It has been dated with a high degree of certainty by comparative stylistic analysis and of details such as the elegance of his pose and details like his headdress crown and other clothing. See:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/15965815@N00/5466965890
Krishna is celebrated in the Hinduism Pantheon as one of the Avatars of Vishnu, the supreme God. He is referred to as the beautiful god, employing a variety of appearances in his interactions with mortals. It is worth exploring the actual ancient sources about Krishna as he is the god that represents all that we all need nowadays: Love, Compassion and Tenderness.
The present object on offer, Krishna appears with Nandi the Bull who is the Gatekeeper of the holy city Kailasa where the god Shiva dwells. This a well-known iconography going back to the 2nd millennium BC.
Here, Krishna appears with a Royal Headdress bejeweled with peals and precious stones and he has large jeweled earrings. He is wearing a Royal wide belt with fancy pendants around the fringe. The god of Love and Tenderness is playing a flute as he is the deity most closely related to music and the arts. Notable is the small floral sprout shown on the bull’s hind legs, undoubtedly an oblique reminder of Krishna’s relationship with Nature and Life.
Size: 8 ¾” inches H x 5 ¼ “inches W (22 x 13.5 cm)
More on Krishna here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna
For a similar (in stone) sculpture, probably contemporary to it piece (15th century), see the Krishna at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, referenced above.
