Krishna Receives Homage from Indra (painting, recto), folio from a Bhagavata Purana series

Based on the narrative of chapter twenty-seven of the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana, this folio depicts Indra, the king of the gods, paying homage to Krishna. Indra touches Krishna’s feet as an act of veneration. His divine elephant, Airavata, known for his white-colored skin, stands behind him. Krishna is accompanied by his elder half-brother Balarama, and the cowherds and cows surround them. The folio belongs to the so-called 'Tula Ram' Bhagavata Purana series, produced during the 17th century in Gujarat, representing events from the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana. The name is derived from the last known person to have possession of the entire series, Tula Ram, a mid-twentieth-century dealer from Delhi. Originally known to be seventy in number, a key characteristic of the paintings from this series is the freedom of expression evident in the style of rendering the figures and their surroundings, possibly indicating the work of several artists. Other folios from the same Bhagavata Purana series in the Harvard Art Museum’s collection are objects 1974.128, 1974.129, 1995.119. Gujarati Style.