Delighting Krishna: Paintings of the Child-God

Imagine a god who appears to you as a mischievous child—you dance together in meadows, play with him, and gift him fruits and flowers. This may give you an idea of how the Hindu Pushtimarg community engages with the divine. They seek to delight and care for the child-god Krishna, and in return, they receive joy and spiritual insight. Delighting Krishna delves into the emotions and philosophy of the Pushtimarg tradition and the ingenuity of its artists.

Pushtimarg religious spaces feature monumental paintings of Krishna on cotton cloth known as pichwais. For the first time since the 1970s, these fourteen pichwais from the National Museum of Asian Art’s collections are on view for the public. These paintings are literally larger than life, averaging about eight by eight feet in size. Pichwais are made to serve as backdrops for three-dimensional displays, typically paired with icons of Krishna, music, and scents. This collection of pichwais dates from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, and most were painted in Nathdwara, Rajasthan, the global epicenter of the Pushtimarg community.

Encounter these intriguing paintings from multiple angles through insights from Hindu community members, curators, conservators, and a conservation scientist. Alongside the pichwais, court paintings illuminate Krishna’s playful charm, and mixed-media works show how the Pushtimarg tradition engages the senses. Awash with color and brimming with joy, these artworks themselves invite delight.

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Delighting Krishna is part of The Arts of Devotion, a five-year initiative at the National Museum of Asian Art dedicated to furthering civic discourse and understanding of religion. This program is made possible by