{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O187772"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O187772/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GB0918/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GB0918/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GB0918","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FE7056","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O187772/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O187772","accessionNumber":"IS.3-1970","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Krishna kills his uncle, the tyrant ruler Kamsa","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Mughal emperor Akbar had the primary Sanskrit texts translated into Persian, the language of the court and of the elite of the empire. This page is from a translation of the Harivamsha, which describes the origins of the cosmos and the legendary history of kings leading up to the birth and life of Lord Krishna. It is associated with the Mahabharata. The translation was done in about 1590. In this episode Krishna drags his uncle Kamsa, the tyrant king of Mathura, by his hair from his throne. He then kills him.","physicalDescription":"Painting, in opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Krishna kills Kamsa, illustration from a manuscript of the <i>Harivamsha</i>. ","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":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in opaque watercolour and gold on paper","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mughal","id":"AAT18939"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2013GB0918","2012FE7056"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES403521"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mughal Empire","id":"THES262021"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1590","earliest":"1585-01-01","latest":"1594-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"IS.3:2-1970","id":"O1272641"},"association":"Verso"}],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by the Hon. Dame Ada Macnaghten","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"43.8","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"page","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"32.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"page","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"32.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"painting","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"20.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"painting","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bequeathed by the Hon. Dame Ada Macnaghten","historicalContext":"Akbar had the major Sanskrit texts of the Hindu traditino translated into Persian and these were then illustrated by the court artists. The Harivamsa is an epic devoted to Krishna and appended to the Mahabharata","briefDescription":"Painting, <i>Harivamsha</i>, Krishna kills his uncle the tyrant ruler Kamsa, opaque watercolour and gold on paper, Mughal, ca. 1590","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, J., and Swallow, D., (eds). ‘Arts of India: 1550-1900’. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990. ISBN 1851770224.p.70, no.47."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Robert Skelton, \"Mughal Paintings from Harivamsa Manuscript\", V&A Museum Yearbook, no. 2, 1970."}],"production":"The borders were added later, probably in Lucknow in the 18th century.","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Krishna kills Raja Kansa.","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Krishna","id":"N748"},{"text":"Kamsa","id":"N7863"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"deity","id":"x31373"},{"text":"demon","id":"x35488"},{"text":"elephants","id":"x30316"},{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"},{"text":"palace","id":"AAT5734"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"KRISHNA KILLS KAMSA\r\nIllustration to the Harivamsha, or Genealogy of Hari\r\nOpaque watercolour and gold on paper\r\nMughal\r\nc. 1590\r\nIS.3-1970\r\nBequeathed by the Hon. Dame Ada Mcnaghten\r\nThe Harivamsha describes the creation of the cosmos and the legendary history of kings leading up to the birth of Lord Krishna. Akbar ordered a translation of the Sanskrit text into Persian, the cultural language of the court and official language of the imperial administration, so that his Muslim subjects could read it. Here Krishna drags his uncle, the tyrant ruler of Mathura, from his throne before killing him.","date":{"text":"01/08/2017","earliest":"2017-08-01","latest":"2017-08-01"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.3-1970"],"accessionNumberNum":"3","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1970,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-12-05","recordCreationDate":"2009-02-13","availableToBook":true}}