Private Collection ( current location not publicly known)
Location History:
Collection of Kishore and Maitreya Chaterjee ( April 2011) then Nehru Centre ,London (exhibited October 2011), then Christie's, London ( sold 12 June 2018), current location not publicly documented.
This Painting by Sunayani Devi presents the Hindu deity Krishna in a simple yet highly expressive composition. Lord Krishna is shown standing and playing the flute , an attribute strongly associated with his identity as the divine cowherd. He is dressed and ornamented with jewellery, while a white halo surrounds his head, clearly emphasizing his divine nature. His hair is pulled back, and his large eyes are expressive. He has a round face which gives the figure a calm presence. This painting demonstrates Sunayani Devi's distinctive approach to mythological subject. he painting depicts Krishna in a clear outlined, soft and uncluttered composition rather than highly detailed style. Krishna has an dream like appearance in the painting. The white halo seperates him visually from the surrounding space and reinforces the spiritual quality of the image. Devi was largely self-taught and came from the influential Tagore family of Kolkata. While she was raised among artists like Abanindranath and Gaganendranath Tagore, her work was strongly informed by Indian mythology, Bengali folklore, and the pata tradition. Devi’s naïve style rendered her paintings as primitive, but the simplicity of her work was a critical element in her modernist art. This painting of Krishna is a combination of simplicity, spirituality and folk inspired image that allows Krishna to appear both divine and approachable. The painting reflects Devi's ability to reinterpret familiar Indian religious imagery through a deeply personal and understated visual language.
Sunayani Devi’s Untitled (Krishna) represents a harmonious synthesis of sacred mythology, folk tradition, and deeply personal expression. Rather than depicting Lord Krishna as a distant, intimidating deity residing in a grand cosmic realm, Devi reinterprets him through an intimate, humanized lens.
Krishna’s iconic attributes—the flute (murali), ornamental adornments, and the distinct glowing white halo—clearly establish his divine status as the supreme cowherd god. However, his rounded facial features, calm posture, and large, expressive eyes strip away formal religious austerity, rendering him approachable, gentle, and serene.
