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This endearing image of Balakrishna captures his
majesty and playfulness at the same time. Krishna
is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is one of
the most popular deities in the Hindu pantheon.
This sculpture shows a playful, dancing young
Krishna holding a butter ball in his right hand
(
navanitanritya
). He balances on one leg with his left
arm gracefully extended. The tips of his right toes
rest gently on a lotus. He is adorned by ornaments
and his girdle is decorated with bells and tassels. His
head gear is an endearing bun which is reminiscent
of a child whose hair has not yet been shorn as an
offering to the family deities. The sculpture is placed
on a base that was likely added later.
Writing about a 15
th
century bronze in the
Khandalavala Collection of Indian Art at the
CSMVS Museum in Mumbai, Pratapaditya Pal
writes, “Images of the mischievous but endearing
child Krishna are among the most charming
created by south Indian artists, especially in metal.
A favourite was that in which the naked toddler is
shown dancing in joy holding a butter ball in his
right hand. Symbolically the ball may also double
as the universe, as it does in the hand of the adult
Vishnu who is no different from Krishna.” (Kalpana
Desai and Pratapaditya Pal,
A Centennial Bouquet:
The Khandalavala Collection of Indian Art in the
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya,
Mumbai: Marg Publications, 2004, p. 36) Similar
sculptures are also illustrated in Vidya Dehejia,
The
Sensuous and Sacred: Chola Bronzes from South
India
, p. 199, no. 51; and Desai and Pal, p. 36, no. 13.
81
BALAKRISHNA
TAMIL NADU, CIRCA 17
TH
CENTURY
Bronze
9.5 in (24.6 cm) high
Rs 9,00,000 ‒ 12,00,000
$ 13,435 - 17,915
NON‒EXPORTABLE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY
PROVENANCE
Property from a Distinguished Family Collection