Yashoda Krishna
Raja Ravi Varma1895
The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation
Bengaluru, India
YASHODHA KRISHNA: Krishna is the 9th incarnation of Lord Vishnu who was born in the Yadava Dynasty to Vasudeva nd Devaki. Devki’s brother, Kamsa, who was a charioteer at the wedding of Vasudeva and Devaki, heard a celestial voice saying the eighth son of Vasudeva and Devaki would kill Kamsa. Kamsa therefore was intent upon killed every child born to the couple. The eighth child was Krishna, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu.
As soon as the baby was born, he incarnated himself as the Lord and instructed them to exchange him with the child born to Nandagopa and Yashodha born at Gokula. After instructing Vasudeva, Lord Vishnu re-assumed the form of a baby. Later, the help of Mayadevi, in the middle of the night, Krishna was exchanged with Yashodha’s baby. Ever since then, Krishna grew up with his foster mother Yashodha.
This print from the Ravi Varma Press derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicts Krishna on the lap of an adoring Yashodha. A servant maid looks on.
- Title: Yashoda Krishna
- Creator: Raja Ravi Varma, Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press Bombay
- Date Created: 1895
- Physical Dimensions: 50 x 35 cms
- Provenance: The Hemamalini and Ganesh Shivaswamy collection, Bengaluru.
- Subject Keywords: Raja Ravi Varma, Krishna, Gigapixel
- Type: Chromolithograph
- Rights: The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, Bengaluru.
- Creator's Biography: Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was a prolific Indian artist who is recognized for his resorting to the academic realistic style of painting. His portraits of English and Indian royalty and aristocracy were well received. His paintings on Hindu religious and mythological subjects and paintings from classical and literary sources were highly sought after even during his lifetime. He painted several copies of his works and this demand led to the suggestion to have his paintings printed in the form of oleographs. The Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press was established in Bombay (now Mumbai) and commenced operations in 1894. Many of Ravi Varma's paintings were printed as chromolithographs at this Press. These chromolithographs would have a tremendous impact on religion, society and aesthetics. They went on to democratize art leading to immortalize Ravi Varma in the minds of the people of the Indian subcontinent.
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