Krishna
| Support Type: | Paper |
| Paint Type: | Watercolor |
| Current Location: | 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. |
Sunayani Devi’s Krishna transforms a familiar divine figure into an image of extraordinary simplicity and intimacy. Rather than emphasizing ornament or dramatic narrative, the painting focuses on Krishna’s calm face, expressive eyes, and gentle gesture as he plays the flute. The soft contours and limited use of colour create a dreamlike atmosphere, while the white halo establishes his sacred identity. Devi’s simplified forms, flat treatment of space, and delicate outlines reflect her engagement with folk and pata traditions, yet the image remains deeply personal rather than merely imitative. Krishna appears both divine and approachable, embodying spirituality through quietness rather than grandeur. The painting’s apparent naïveté is, in fact, its greatest strength: by reducing the figure to essential forms and emotions, Sunayani Devi creates a powerful devotional image that demonstrates her distinctive contribution to Indian modernism.