Bhima Slays Jarasandha: Page from a Bhagavata Purana Manuscript

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This painting is from a series illustrating climactic moments in Book 10 of the Bhagavata Purana, which celebrates the exploits of the young Krishna. The composition depicts Bhima slaying the evil ruler of Magadha, King Jarasandha, who is torn apart in a wrestling match, witnessed by Krishna. The work belongs to one of the earliest known Sultanate-period illustrated Hindu manuscripts, distinguished by the use of intense flat color and a distinctive figure-type with wondrous pronounced eyes.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art