Vintage Indian Hindu Lithograph Print: Baby Lord Krishna (13.5” x 9.5”)
This print depicts the young baby Krishna (Baby Gopal), a mischievous child who grows up to become the god of compassion, protection, tenderness, and love. In images of him at this young age, he often has a bansuri flute, which attracts all beings, including birds (see the upper corners of this image), when he plays his enchanting tunes.
The print is unsigned but illegible. The title is in Hindi but was cut off. It was printed by the Swastik Picture House of Delhi, whose logo is pictured in the lower left of the image.
NOTE: THE HINDU SWASTIKA IS NOT THE SAME AS THE NAZI SWASTIKA. Its arms are perpendicular to the page, not diagonal like the Nazi symbol. In Hinduism, the swastika is a sacred and auspicious symbol representing good luck, prosperity, and well-being.
The print is a halftone lithograph, a common printing technique for mass-produced religious imagery in India in the past which made them affordable to all. Such prints evolved from use in puja rooms (prayer rooms) to stickers in taxis, shop art, calendars, ticket labels, and other everyday objects, becoming part of the colorful décor of Indian homes and public spaces. They played a significant role in popularizing Hindu iconography. They are still in use today, although modern printing techniques are used to reproduce them and create new interpretations.
Most online are asking at least $ 25 per piece for these kinds of prints. This may be a particularly rare image as we were unable to find online any other such images with both of the Baby Krishna’s hands on the carpet.
We do not know if it was our grandmother who purchased these in the 1930s or our mother in 1969 or the 1970s. This particular print is in good vintage condition, with some creases and, of course, the missing title section. We would mail this flat.
H 13 1/2” x L 9 1/2”
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.