Name: AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A DISPERSED BHAGAVATA PURANA SERIES: THE DEATH OF PRALAMBA
Brand: BILASPUR, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1770-1780
Price: 45000.00 GBP
Availability: SoldOut

AN ILLUSTRATION FROM A DISPERSED BHAGAVATA PURANA SERIES: THE DEATH OF PRALAMBA
BILASPUR, NORTH INDIA, CIRCA 1770-1780
With Krishna seated in regal repose against a cow at left, watching his brother Balarama at center and the other gopas beat the demon to death at lower right, the other cows running around in fear, all in a wooded riverbank with large clouds highlighted in gold above
Folio 12¼ x 15½in. ( 31.3 x 38.7cm.), painting 10⅝ x 13⅛in. (27 x 33.3cm.)

Provenance:
The Ehrenfeld Collection

Literature:
Daniel J. Ehnbom, ed., Indian Miniatures, The Ehrenfeld Collection, New York, 1985, cat. 107, pp.216-217.
Exhibition catalogue, Festival of India in the United States 1985-1986, New York, 1985

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Lot Essay

In the tale of Pralamba, the demon disguises himself to join in a game with the gopas, in which the losers carry the victors on their back. When Pralamba lost, he chose to carry Balarama, as he knew he could not kill Krishna. He starts by walking around with Balarama on his shoulders, then reveals his demon form and begins to fly in the air. When Balarama cries out for help, Krishna reminds him to “take your true form. You have been destined to share the burden of the earth, along with me. So use your powers to kill him.” Balarama then assumes his divine form, with a thousand heads and arms, and rains blows on the demon’s head. The other boys join in the fray as Krishna looks on, and soon the demon is dead.

This painting comes from a series that was originally owned by a Bilaspur noble family, most of which is now in the Svetoslav Roerich Collection in India. For a discussion of this set, see W.G. Archer, Indian Painting from the Punjab Hills, 1973, vol. I, pp.241-242 and vol.II, pp.188-189.