Shri Shri Jagannatha (Krishna as the Lord of the World)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Jagannatha triad is central to major Krishna cult centered on the pilgrimage city of Puri, in Odisha, eastern India. As seen here, Krishna, together with his elder brother Balarama and sister Subhadra, assume the doll-like forms of totemic idols that can be traced to tribal Odisha. The divine triad here has the brothers protectively flanking their sister, the dark complexion Krishna right and the fair Balarama left, -rather than with Jagannatha center-stage, as he is normally displayed to devotees during pujas and the great annual chariot (ratha) procession. The triad stand on a raised hexagonal dais, set within a pillared archway with drawn curtaining, reminiscent of a Victorian photography studio set. An assembly of Brahmanical deities sit reverently below on lotus cushions, notably Brahma, Vishnu, Garuda (on a fluted pillar) and two forms of ascetic Shiva. This print was produced in Calcutta, where the Jagannatha cult also had a strong following.

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