A captivating brass figure depicting Krishna as Venugopala, the divine cowherd and flute-player, whose music is said to have enchanted all of creation. The deity stands in elegant tribhanga—the triple-flexed posture of a cosmic dancer—his body swaying gracefully with the rhythm of his celestial melody. Both arms are raised in the act of playing the flute, capturing a moment of joyous, animated devotion.
The figure is masterfully modeled in the distinctive style of Odishan metalwork. Krishna’s face bears a gentle, enigmatic smile with downcast eyes, conveying the serene bliss of divine music. His hair is drawn into a tall, tiered conical headdress crowned by a bud finial, while large circular earrings frame his face. The torso is bare and muscular, adorned with armlets and bracelets, and a finely worked chain girdle encircles his waist above the traditional dhoti. The legs are poised in a graceful dance stance, one foot planted firmly upon the pedestal while the other rests delicately across it.
He stands upon a separately cast lotus pedestal with tiered, lappet-carved base—a classic throne for Hindu deities that symbolizes purity and spiritual emergence. The brass exhibits a warm, honey-gold patina with soft brown undertones and areas of age-appropriate oxidation, attesting to centuries of ritual use and veneration in an Odishan temple or household shrine.
Dimensions: 20.5 cm (8 in.) high
Condition: Good overall antique condition. Expected surface wear, minor casting imperfections, and age-appropriate patination consistent with a 300-year-old devotional object. The figure is solidly cast and stable; the flute attribute is absent , as commonly seen in surviving examples.
Significance: Images of Venugopala were particularly beloved in the Bhakti traditions of eastern India, where Krishna’s flute symbolizes the call of the divine to the devotee. Odisha produced some of the most expressive and dynamic bronze and brass sculptures of the late medieval period, characterized by their lively postures and warm, approachable facial expressions. This piece offers a fine example of that tradition—animated, lyrical, and spiritually resonant.
Ideal for collectors of Indian temple bronzes, Vaishnava devotional art, or Odishan metalwork.