Tales Of Blue Lord At Norton Simon Museum

Krishna, the lotus-eyed god whose name means "the dark Scenes from Krishna's Life, 18th century one," elicits great devotion from his followers, due in part of the Narendra and Rita Parson Family to his numerous incarnations or manifestations. Norton Simon Museum Curator Christine Knoke says, "Visitors to the exhibition will learn about the life of Krishna, from his early days as a mischievous toddler stealing butter, to his adolescent days as a fluting cowherder, and to his courtship of and marriage to the young maiden Radha. In addition to artworks depicting Krishna engaged in romantic and leisure activities, which as a genre is known as Krishna lila (Krishna play), there will be depictions of the mighty Krishna destroying powerful demons."

The centerpiece of this installation is a rare 18th-century temple wall from Kerala, India. A recent donation to the Museum, the wall is more than nine feet wide and nearly eight feet high. It comprises 12 separately carved wooden boards, with each bright polychromed panel depicting a different scene from the life of Krishna. The wall's intricate carvings, together with its dramatic scale and eye-catching color palette, create a vivid storyboard on which to learn about this captivating deity.

The temple wall is accompanied by some twelve paintings and sculptures from the Museum's permanent collections. Exquisite Chola bronzes, including the 11th-century Krishna Dancing and the 15th-century Cosmic Form of Krishna, demonstrate Krishna's physical beauty and compelling nature. Brightly-colored paintings from devotional folios such as the Gitagovinda and the Bhagavatapurana illustrate his many adventures. -- www.nortonsimon.org