{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O404789"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O404789/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GK3697/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GK3697/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GK3697","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O404789/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O404789","accessionNumber":"D.656-1889","objectType":"Painting","titles":[{"title":"Krishna and Bakasura","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Painting, in watercolour on paper, with tin alloy details, image of Krishna shown in the act of killing Bakasura, the Heron Demon, by splitting the bird's long beaks. Krishna is depicted as blue skinned and wide-eyed, wearing short \"dhoti\" and a cape thrown over his shoulder.  He is adorned with the customary peacock-feather tiara and has the Vaishnavite markings on his forehead. The other ornaments on Krishna's body are multi-string necklace painted in white, a pair of ear-rings, bangles, amulets and anklets. The ornaments can be described as the stock-in-trade of the Kalight paintings.\n\nThe white wide eyes of Krishna are prominent in this painting due to his dark skin. Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, was fostered by Nanda and Yasoda and he grew up amongst the cowherds in Vrindaban to avoid the vengeance of his maternal uncle Raja Kansa. However, Kansa made several attempts on Krishna's life by sending various demons and among them was Bakasura.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14109"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"tin alloy","id":"AAT10978"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"}],"techniques":[{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Painted in watercolour on paper, with tin alloy details","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Hinduism","id":"THES48941"},{"text":"Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project","id":"THES263148"}],"styles":[{"text":"Kalighat painting","id":"x35063"},{"text":"Kalighat","id":"AAT18988"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2013GK3697"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES403789"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"painting","id":"AAT33618"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Kolkata","id":"x32018"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1850","earliest":"1845-01-01","latest":"1854-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"452","unit":"mm","qualifier":"maximum","date":{"text":"31/07/2013","earliest":"2013-07-31","latest":"2013-07-31"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"270","unit":"mm","qualifier":"maximum","date":{"text":"31/07/2013","earliest":"2013-07-31","latest":"2013-07-31"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"31/07/13 dimensions measured as part of Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project 2013; object irregular in shape","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Krishna\r\nBakasura\r\nA.C.E / 16 (at the bottom left hand corner)\r\nOther notes (at the top right hand corner)","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscriptions are in English. The note on the top right hand corner is very faint and is difficult to read."}],"objectHistory":"Part of the same collection (A.C.E) as D.657-1889 and D.661-1889 and stylistically most likely painted by the same painter.\n\nThe painting was originally acquired from G. Wild, by the Department of Prints and Drawings in 1889. \n\nRP 51/2237","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Painting, Krishna quelling Bakasura, watercolour and tin alloy on paper, Kalighat, Kolkata, ca. 1850","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Archer, W.G., Bazaar Paintings of Calcutta, Victoria & Albert Museum, H.M.S.O., 1955","id":"AUTH348279"},"details":"p. 18, no. 8, p. 21, p. 36, pl. 8","free":"Archer, W.G., Kalighat Paintings a Catalogue and Introduction, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office 1971, p.48 (4, v)."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"Krishna shown in the act of killing Bakasura, the Heron Demon, by splitting the bird's long beaks. Krishna is depicted as blue skinned and wide-eyed, wearing short dhoti and a cape thrown over his shoulder.  He is adorned with the customary peacock-feather tiara and has the Vaishnavite markings on his forehead. The other ornaments on Krishna's body are multi-string necklace painted in white, a pair of ear-rings, bangles, amulets and anklets. \r\n","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Krishna","id":"N748"},{"text":"Bakasura","id":"AUTH325797"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"deity","id":"x31373"},{"text":"demon","id":"x35488"},{"text":"heron","id":"x30462"},{"text":"jewellery","id":"AAT209286"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Hinduism","id":"AAT73727"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["D.656-1889"],"accessionNumberNum":"656","accessionNumberPrefix":"D","accessionYear":1889,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-22","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-25","availableToBook":true}}