Framed Indian Silk Painting of Krishna Raas Leela. Depicts Krishna at four different points in the garden, with the milkmaids surrounding him with their various instruments and garments as they dance, reflecting the never-ending cycle. A full moon is faintly visible upper right, with a dimmed floral border around the main image. 

Condition: Overall very good. 

Overall Size: 19 1/2 x 24 3/4 in. 

Sight Size: 13 3/4 x 19 3/4 in. 

Krishna Raas Leela (or Raslila) is the name of a significant event in Hindu mythology, when the divine being Krishna dances with the gopis (milkmaids) of Vrindavan. The event is one of the most common depicted in Indian religious art, as it is considered to be the ultimate moment of the Bhagavata Purana and a means of attaining pure devotion to Krishna. It is almost always depicted as a night scene, as legend says that the god supernaturally elongated the night of the Raas Leela to the length of one kalpa (approximately 4.32 billion years), with Krishna’s flute music keeping time the entire while. At its core, the story is a representation of the early Deccan belief that human romantic and physical love are both channels for spiritual love as well, and the act of coupling therefore shows a desire to connect with the gods at the same time. The story has formed a fundamental part of acts of worship since antiquity, with dance intrinsically tied to the showing of devotion and a popular theme in Indian classical dances including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, and Kathak.

Overall very good.