{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O147920"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O147920/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF4413/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BF4413/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BF4413","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MU6802","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O147920/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O147920","accessionNumber":"IS.81-1963","objectType":"Manuscript page","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This painting is from a Balagopalastuti manuscript, a Hindu text in praise of the youthful Krishna, an avatar or incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. The verses of this text celebrate the mischievous nature of the young Krishna: '\"Let go the churning stick! You are not able to churn milk...\" When Yashoda spoke thus to him, he remembered the churning of the ocean of milk and smiled...' This refers to a famous episode in which the gods and demons churned the ocean of milk to produce amrita, a strength-giving nectar. Vishnu, taking the form of a tortoise, acted as a pivot to prevent Mount Mandara, which they used as a churning stick, from sinking into the muddy bottom of the ocean. The scene illustrates beautifully Krishna's dual nature as mischievous child, scolded here by his mother, and great god.","physicalDescription":"Illustrated leaf from a <i>Balagopalastuti</i> manuscript, painted and written in opaque watercolour and ink on paper, the recto of the page shows the infant Krishna disturbing two <i>gopis</i> or female cowherds churning milk. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"opaque watercolour","id":"x35013"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"},{"text":"written","id":"AAT54698"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted and written in opaque watercolour and ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"},{"text":"Illustration","id":"THES48938"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Gujarati","id":"AAT19057"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2006BF4413","2021MU6802"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES403770"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"page","id":"AAT194222"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Gujarat","id":"x29825"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"late 15th century","earliest":"1450-01-01","latest":"1499-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"10.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"33.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'let go the churning stick! You are not able to churn milk. You are young, child, stop! When Yasoda spoke thus to him, he remembered the churning of the ocean of milk and smiled. May Krishna dispel illusion for you.'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"One of the inscribed verses to the right of the illustration, translated by W. N. Brown. The remainder are undeciphered."}],"objectHistory":"Another leaf from this manuscript is in the Bharat Kala Bhawan, Varanasi. Other leaves which may belong to the same are in the Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay, and the N. C. Mehta collection. An almost identical series is in the Boston Museum.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, manuscript page, <i>Balagopalastuti</i>, <i>gopis</i> churning butter while child Krishna plays, Gujarat, late 15th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Krishna","id":"N748"},{"text":"Yashoda","id":"N1665"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["The image illustrates an episode from a Balagopalastuti manuscript, a Hindu text in praise of the youthful Krishna. The verses of this text inspired some of the most celebratory painting of the period."],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"THE INFANT KRISHNA DISTURBING THE COWMAIDS CHURNING MILK\r\nGouache and ink on paper\r\nGujarat\r\nLate 15th century\r\nIS 81-1963\r\n\r\nFrom a Balagopalastuti manuscript, a Hindu text in praise of the youthful Krishna. The verses of this text celebrate the mischievous nature of the young Krishna: '\"Let go the churning stick! You are not able to churn milk...\" When Yasoda spoke thus to him, he remembered the churning of the ocean of milk and smiled...'","date":{"text":"1994","earliest":"1994-01-01","latest":"1994-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.81-1963"],"accessionNumberNum":"81","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1963,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-04","recordCreationDate":"2008-03-20","availableToBook":false}}