A Young, Sword-Bearing Krishna with Three Attendants (pounce
Indian
At the center of the page is a young figure of Krishna, the eighth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu who is worshipped as a deity in his own right. He wears an elaborately decorated turban which is topped with a lotus, a symbol of Vishnu. His piety is also signified by the faintly-drawn halo with emanating rays behind his head. Krishna wears a long robe (jama) with a flowing skirt, pendants, an earring, and Khadau sandals, which distinctly elevates the heel and front of the foot. Three attendants follow Krishna, each carrying various accoutrements that symbolize Krishna’s elevated status: an umbrella (chhatri), fly whisk, peacock feather fan, and a quiver full of arrows. Small holes can be found outlining some of the figures. The holes represent a transferring technique known as pounce. Powder, such as graphite or chalk, is passed through the holes onto a clean working surface to give an exact copy of the image that is to be copied. Rajput Style, Kota School.
Ink on paper; Rajput Style, Kota School