The most popular god in the Hindu pantheon, Krishna has been worshiped across India for centuries. The eighth incarnation of the god Vishnu, Krishna's heroic exploits are celebrated in art and song. Often shown with blue skin, Krishna is worshiped in a variety of guises; as an infant, as Gopala the cowherd, as a warrior, a lover, and as Bhagata the adorable one. Here he is depicted as a muscular young man with arms extended to hold two vanished attributes, perhaps a variation on his cowherd role. What is most fascinating about this work, the product of a provincial workshop, is the way the god reflects the ideal of a robust young peasant. He seems the picture of health and vigor, human and accessible rather than remotely divine. This is a god for the people, one who understands the experience of daily life. - (FZ.254)

Antiquities
Ancient Near East