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Art Study Center Seminar: Krishna in Pahari Painting of India

In this painting, a figure wearing flowing yellow pants and long necklaces holds up a serpent in a gray river. Several women with long black hair and serpent tails look on, some of them with bowed heads.
Detail of Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya, from a Bhagavata Purana (History of God) series, attributed to Mola Ram, India, Himachal Pradesh, late 18th century. Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bienstock, 1974.112.

Seminar

In-Person
Harvard Art Museums
32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA

This event requires registration; see further details below.

Krishna is not only one of the most revered Hindu deities but also one of the most popular Hindu subjects in Indian painting. In anticipation of the celebration of his birth, known as Krishna Janmashtami, on Monday, August 26, curatorial fellow Janet O’Brien will present a rich selection of illustrated episodes from Krishna’s life—as a divine infant, playful youth, passionate lover, protector of the universe, and restorer of cosmic order. The seminar will focus on Pahari painting, an umbrella term for works created in the Himalayan foothills and Punjab plains of North India during the 18th and 19th centuries and particularly noted for depictions of Krishna.

Led by:
Janet O’Brien, Calderwood Curatorial Fellow in South Asian and Islamic Art, Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art

Free admission, but registration is required. You can register by clicking on the event on this form, beginning on Tuesday, August 13.

Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the program to allow sufficient time to sign in at the Art Study Center reception desk (Level 4), and be prepared to present a photo ID. All coats and bags must be placed in a locker prior to entering the study room. Children age 14 and older are welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.

The Harvard Art Museums offer free admission every day, Tuesday through Sunday. Please see the museum visit page to learn about our general policies for visiting the museums.

The Harvard Art Museums are committed to accessibility for all visitors. For anyone requiring accessibility accommodations for our programs, please contact us at am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance.