Who painted Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama.?

Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama. was painted by Unknown in 1820.

Where can I see Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama.?

Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama. is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama.?

Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama. is associated with Mughal Painting.

Artwork

Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama.

Unknown , 1820

Krishna and Yasoda with Balarama. is a paint painting by the Mughal Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a painted illustration from a South Indian series produced around 1820, intended to depict Hindu deities.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted illustration from a South Indian series produced around 1820, intended to depict Hindu deities. It portrays a domestic episode involving the child deity Krishna, his mother Yasoda, and a third attendant figure, rendered in vivid, flat pigments and elaborate costume.

Subject & Meaning

Krishna is shown seated on a richly ornamented seat, reaching for butter—a reference to the celebrated childhood pastime of the god stealing dairy products. Yasoda, identified by her red-and-gold attire, rests her hand on his shoulder, emphasizing maternal affection, while the figure in yellow, holding a fan, serves as a attendant or companion within the narrative tableau.

Technique & Style

The composition employs a flattened perspective and bold color fields typical of early 19th‑century South Indian devotional painting. Figures are outlined in fine line work, and their garments and jewelry are rendered with intricate patterning, reflecting the period’s aesthetic of opulent detail rather than naturalistic modeling.

History & Provenance

Created as part of a set of one hundred illustrations of Hindu gods, the painting’s authorship remains unknown. The series was produced in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent during the early 1800s, a time when local workshops catered to both religious patrons and emerging colonial collectors.

Context

The scene draws on the popular Puranic story of Krishna’s butter‑theft exploits, a motif frequently reproduced in temple art and manuscript illustration. The inclusion of lavish dress and jewelry aligns with contemporary conventions that emphasized divine splendor through earthly richness.