Handpainted – Pichwai – Shrinathji Among the Cows with Leela Panels

Provenance

'Shrinathji Among the Cows with Leela Panels' is a narrative Pichwai painting with a central image of the deity among his herd, framed by a border of small scenes. It follows the Nathdwara way of combining a devotional centre with a ring of stories, and the result is closer to a visual anthology than to a single picture.

Shrinathji stands at the centre against a dark round tree and banana leaves, with a pink halo and arms outspread, surrounded by cream cows with orange horns, while turbaned cowherds raise their hands in praise at the corners. Under a blue starry sky, a pale moon rises. The border is made up of small panels showing pavilions, a child lying on a leaf, a blue figure on a serpent and gatherings of women, with two red panels holding a white cow at the foot and a lotus pond below.

Cream, green and blue are the main colours, with the orange of the cows' horns and the red of the corner panels as bright accents. The border's panels are painted in greens, oranges and blues that echo the main scene. Everything is balanced, finely detailed and gently colourful.