On view
South Asian Art
Muchukunda kills the warrior Kalayavana, from the Bhagavata Purana,
ca. 1775
Nepalese
2019-30
This folio from a unique version of the sacred Hindu text the Bhagavata Purana (Ancient Tales of the Lord Vishnu) that was produced in Nepal in the 1770s is an illustration from the tenth book, which tells of Krishna, one of the most important avatars of Vishnu. The tales in the Bhagavata Purana are all in some manner associated with Vishnu, who incarnates himself time and again in order to restore cosmic balance. The theme of this painting focuses on Muchukunda, the great sage who helped the gods defeat the demons and was rewarded by a long, deep sleep. On the left, the miscreant king Kalayavana chases Krishna. In the middle scene, Muchukunda, lying in his bed, reduces the king to ashes as punishment for disturbing his rest. The final scene on the right shows Krishna receiving obeisance from Muchukunda.
Information
Title
Muchukunda kills the warrior Kalayavana, from the Bhagavata Purana
Dates
ca. 1775
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
Painting: 31.7 × 48.9 cm (12 1/2 × 19 1/4 in.)
Folio: 36.8 × 53.3 cm (14 1/2 × 21 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund
Object Number
2019-30
Place Made
Asia, Nepal, Kathmandu Valley
Inscription
Inscriptions along red borders, above and below
Culture
Type
Materials
Anonymous private collection, New York, 1970s.
Sold Sotheby’s New York, 18 March 2009, lot 58.
Sold Christie’s New York, 16 September 2009, lot 849.
Private Collection, Europe, 2009–2019; purchased by Forge & Lynch (London, UK), 2019.
2019 purchased by Princeton University Art Museum.
