Dimensions: Height 9 cm ; Wide 7 cm ; Depth 10 cm

Weight: 530 grams

This small bronze figure represents the Hindu deity Krishna as a baby (Bala-Krishna).

The eighth avatar or incarnation of Vishnu, Krishna is one of the most popular Indian gods and a large number of popular legends relate to his childhood exploits.

Krishna is the only incarnation of Vishnu to be worshipped as a child, a youth or a lover.

The figures were mostly made in India over a period spanning eleven hundred years and were produced for use in temples or in household shrines and by pilgrims.

As an example of Hindu iconography, this image represents one of the worlds great and ancient religious traditions. Hinduism is as much a philosophy and culture as it is a religion, a rich and complex aggregate which has drawn on a collection of holy books and incorporated a wide range of influences since its origins around 4000 years ago. The multiple deities, demi-gods and heroes of the Hindu pantheon and Hindu literature reflect the syncretistic nature of Hinduism in their diverse forms and complex lineages, and are represented in a magnificent corpus of figurative sculptures, large and small. These images were intended to remind people of spiritual truths and sacred stories and to function as aids to meditation. They follow forms and dimensions that are carefully prescribed for each deity, and all parts and attributes such as the position of the body, the emblems and ornaments, and the accompanying minor divinities have significance.