Veṇugopāla Kṛṣṇa, bronze, Nepal, 15th-16th century Born in the Yādava dynasty as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, Kṛṣṇa was the ninth of the ten incarnations (avatāra) of Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) is portrayed here as a young boy playing a flute as described in the Viṣṇu-purāṇa and Bhāgavata-purāṇa. Standing in sama posture with the left leg placed in front in svastika (crossed) on a square plinth in slight tribhaṅga, holding his hands in siṃha-karṇa as if he is holding a flute. Height: 11 cm Provenance: Lot 3036, Venduehuis Arts of the East: Asian Ceramics & Works of Art | 24 June 2021 Collection Rijsterborgh, The Netherlands, pre 1960