Picchavai of Shrinathji Pigments on cloth India, Nathdwara

Acquired 1960-1970

Good overall condition. Light abrasions and minor flaking in some areas, clearly visible in catalogue illustration. The painting is laid down on a brown cloth. Unframed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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One of the central themes of the Krishna cult is his youthful dalliance with the gopis or cowherdesses of Brindavan who were his companions throughout his childhood and youth. The gopis' unquestioning devotion to Krishna culminates in the rasa lila, or eternal dance of life, pictured in the present painting.

Within the circle or rasa mandala Krishna appears before each gopi, answering her longing for him by dancing with her as if they were alone. This dance of ecstacy is a metaphor for the relationship between the devotee and the Divine, idealized by the bhakti cult which is based on the idea of the soul's intense longing for and complete submission to the Divine.

Compare with another painting depicting the same subject in the collection of the Williams College Museum of Art, see Christopher Noey and Janet Temos, Art of India, Williams College, Massachusetts, 1994, p. 77, cat. 50