Krishna and the Gopis Beneath a Tree - Jaipur-Lucknow Hybrid School, on Devanagari Ledger Paper, c. 1870-1890 Anonymous

A late-19th-century miniature depicting Krishna seated beneath a large tree surrounded by Gopis. Rendered in opaque watercolor and gold on a reused handmade paper folio containing vertical Devanagari accounting entries. The verso bears a temple or merchant ledger listing donor names and sums, with a visible date 'Vikram Samvat 1911' (equivalent to 1854 CE). The scene-Krishna engaging affectionately with the Gopis-reflects the Rajasthani devotional art tradition combining Mughal realism with bhakti themes. Rich pigments, balanced composition, and detailed textile rendering exemplify the Jaipur- Lucknow school circa 1875. TRANSLATION / ANALYSIS (REVERSE) The reverse contains two columns of Devanagari writing. Approximate transcription and translation summary: 1. Shri Krishnalalji - Temple account heading. 2. Shri Madhavlal Das - Donor name. 3. 510 rupees, Nanalalji - recorded amount. 4. Shri Govind Ram - listed devotee. 5. 312 rupees - donation entry. 6. Shri Bhagwandas - donor. 7. Shrimati Janki Devi - female donor. 8. Shri Ambalal - donation noted. 9. Total collected: 1250 rupees. 10. Blessings of Shrinathji. 11. Receipt of Shridhar Das Gopalji. 12. Date: Vikram Samvat 1911 (≈1854 CE), reused later for miniature painting. The ledger served as a temple record prior to its reuse, linking the artwork directly to Krishna worship practices in Rajasthan. CONCLUSION A luminous Krishna-and-Gopis scene painted around 1875 CE on a reused Devanagari temple ledger dated VS 1911 (1854 CE). Combining devotional iconography with archival text, this piece exemplifies the synthesis of spiritual and material life in 19th-century Rajasthan. Its preserved condition and dual historical context make it a valuable object for collectors of Indian manuscript art.