A blue-skinned figure raises a mountain over sheltering villagers

A blue-skinned figure in a yellow dhoti and jewelled garlands stands raising a jumbled mountain of rocks, trees and deer overhead with one hand, sheltering a crowd of villagers and cattle beneath it. Some villagers carry bundles on their heads. The scene is set against a dark ground with pink and tan rock outcrops at the edges. The folio illustrates the Hindu legend of Krishna sheltering the villagers of Braj, from an illustrated Harivamsa.

Mughal court painting began with the Persian masters Mir Sayyid Ali and Abd al-Samad, whom the emperor Humayun brought to India. Under Akbar (r. 1556–1605) an imperial workshop of Persian and Indian artists illustrated histories and translations, among them Babur's memoirs, rendered into Persian in 1589, and Hindu texts such as the Harivamsa. Jahangir favoured portraits and studies of birds, flowers and animals, and Shah Jahan's albums set paintings and calligraphy within decorated borders. Folios from these manuscripts and albums are held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Printed as a museum-grade giclée on Hahnemühle fine art paper using 12-ink archival pigment printing. Available handframed in FSC-certified wood with optional float glass, or unframed. Ships worldwide with free delivery to 30+ countries.