Cast Solid Silver Standing Krishna, India, circa 1870

Cast Solid Silver Standing Krishna

This fine, solid-cast silver image of Krishna shows the god in his Krishna Kaliyadamana form, in a guise that relates to Krishna’s childhood – the god had a fight with the snake Kaliya, who had previously quarrelled with Garuda whom he snake had failed to honour with an offering. Kalyia subsequently poisoned a pool of water with his venom. Krishna’s friends, the cow-herders and their flocks were then poisoned when drinking from the pool. On hearing about this, Krishna rushed to their aid and almost kicked Kaliya to death.

Krishna is shown here beautifully decorated with jewellery, bells and waist bands. He also wears a talismanic double tiger claw pendant suspended around the neck. His hair is pulled up into a high bun and there are strands over the shoulders.

He holds a butterball in his right hand, an allusion to another incident in his early life when he stole a butterball from his mother’s larder.

The image here is in excellent condition. The details are crisp and yet the silver has a fine patina and obvious age. It is very well modelled and cast. Such images in silver seem to have been produced in the second half of the 19th century and this example is one of the best modelled that we have seen.

It is highly likely that the image came to the UK during the colonial era.

Mitchell, A.G., Hindu Gods and Goddesses, UBSPD, 1982.

UK art market