The Cosmic Form of Krishna, c. 1750-1775, 10 7/8 × 7 7/8 in. (27.62 × 20 cm) (image)25 1/2 × 21 3/4 × 1 in. (64.77 × 55.25 × 2.54 cm) (outer frame), Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper, India, 18th century, The striking imagery of this painting was inspired by the Bhagavata Gita (200 BCE-300 CE), a foundational text in Hinduism that lays out key moral doctrines and emphasizes personal devotion (bhakti) to God. Here, the artist illustrates a pivotal conversation between the epic hero, Arjuna (identified by inscription in the bottom left) and Krishna, in which Krishna gives Arjuna special sight in order to reveal the majesty of his cosmic form, Vishvarupa, or Vishnu 'Having all Shapes.