"Krishna Steals the Clothing of the Gopis (Female Cowherds)", Folio from the Devotional Text of the Bhagavata Purana

The Early Master at the Court of Mandi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Krishna, the mischievous Divine Cowherd, has stolen the clothes of the bathing gopis, who shiver with cold but also with delight in their devotion to their lord. This splendid allegory of spiritual love is attributed to an esteemed unknown artist referred to as the Early Master at the Court of Mandi. His hand is recognizable in the verdant green background with a high horizon line populated with small figures, the trees with exposed trunks and branches, and the female figures with refined facial features.

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