Gallery 329, Asian Art, third floor (Lahiri Gallery)
Main Building
Gallery 329, Asian Art, third floor (Lahiri Gallery)
Main Building
A pichhwai is a painted textile that hangs behind a sculptural icon of the Hindu god Krishna in Pushtimarg shrines. Devotees of the Pushtimarg (Path of Grace) sect offer service and tender veneration to their icons as if they are the living embodiments of the god.
In this pichhwai, the central tree probably represents Krishna; he is adored by gopis (village milkmaids) who are willing to abandon everything in their love for him. The scene encourages worshipers to envision themselves as one of these gopis as they pay homage to the god.
Gallery 329, Asian Art, third floor (Lahiri Gallery)
| Title: | Vriksha (Tree) Pichhwai Tree Shrine Hanging (Varsha Pichhwai) |
| Date: | 18th century |
| Artist: | Artist/maker unknown, Indian |
| Medium: | Opaque paint with gold and silver decoration on cotton fabric |
| Dimensions: | 8 feet 4 inches × 8 feet 8 1/4 inches (254 × 264.8 cm) |
| Classification: | Paintings |
| Credit Line: | Gift of H. Peter Stern on the occasion of his marriage to Helen Williams Drutt English in 2007, and in memory of Stella Kramrisch, 2015 |
| Accession Number: | 2015-145-2 |
| Geography: | Made in Rajasthan, India, Asia Possibly made in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, Asia Possibly made in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, Asia |
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Gallery 329, Asian Art, third floor (Lahiri Gallery)
Main Building