Formal Analysis - Niko Takayesu

Niko Takayesu

March 31, 2014

Formal Analysis: Krishna Playing the Flute Surrounded by Celestial Deities

                Krishna Playing the Flute Surrounded by Celestial Deities is a wood piece located in Bucksbaum.  It was donated to Grinnell by Clinton A. Rehling.  Crafted in India, the piece was made in the 19^th century. As its title would suggest, it depicts the Krishna playing a flute of some sort alongside many small statues.  The Krishna is wearing a skirt of some sort and multiple ankle bracelets on each foot.  She is wearing an elaborate headpiece that extends towards the top of the piece.  The flute is a simple pipe shaped object with no extravagant detail.

                The piece is in great condition.  There are no chips, cracks, or blemishes anywhere.  There are a few discolorations in the piece, on the bottom right corner and the top, but that is most likely due to age and possibly people touching it.  The deities do not have as much detail as does the Krishna with respect to facial expressions and clothing.  This is most likely not due to age or wear but instead because the artist wanted to emphasize the Krishna amongst the smaller gods.

                The focal points of the piece appear to be the skirt of the Krishna and its three arms.  While the skin of the Krishna is perfectly smooth, the skirt appears to have an intricate pattern of flowers, lines, and raised bumps.  The skirt itself has ropes or some form of string hanging from the waist.  It is lined with small circles which contrast with the rest of the pattern on the skirt.  To those unfamiliar with the Krishna, the three arms also command attention.  Typically, most carvings that depict human-like beings show them with two arms.  Thus, the Krishna’s third and leftmost arm stands out.  It is holding up its pointer and middle finger, perhaps suggesting a peace sign.  The other two arms being used to hold the flute are pushed to the background by comparison.