How Krishna Became Vishnu: Early Images of Krishna in India

The Cleveland Museum of Art

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• Date Sunday, January 23, 2022
• Time 2:00PM

Discover the cultural gem of University Circle at the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA). Immerse yourself in a rich tapestry of artistic history and innovation. Established in 1913, the museum has been a cornerstone of our vibrant community for over... more

THE DR. RANAJIT K. DATTA DISTINGUISHED LECTURE IN INDIAN ART

How Krishna Became Vishnu: Early Images of Krishna in India

Speaker: Charlotte Schmid, Directeur d’études, École française d’Extrême-Orient

Sunday, January 23, 2022, 2 p.m.

Virtual

FREE; registration will be required for this event. Please visit cma.org for updates

Two thousand years ago, artists in Mathura, in northern India, created sculptures of a four-armed male divinity in human form. While many scholars identify this figure as the Hindu god Vishnu, there are strong arguments in favor of his identity as Krishna.

Texts that emerged during this period explain that Krishna was born in Mathura as an incarnation of Vishnu. However, in art there survive no depictions of the young Krishna until much later. How was Krishna represented in art before the fourth century AD? Does his appearance differ from that of Vishnu?

In this lecture, noted scholar Charlotte Schmid examines the early formulations of Vishnu and Krishna images in northern India to better understand the relationship between the two deities and how that relationship diverges from its description in texts.

This lecture is made possible by the Dr. Ranajit K. Datta in Memory of Kiran P. and S. C. Datta Endowment Fund.

Image Credit:
Vishvarupa (detail), c. 500. Northern India, Uttar Pradesh, Aligarh District, Bhankhri. Sandstone; h. 46 cm. Government Museum, Mathura, 42-43.2989. Photo: Pierre Baptiste