Krishna Fluting, c. 1675-1700. Northwestern India, Rajasthan, Rajput Kingdom of Bundi. Color on paper; page: 21.9 x 14.3 cm (8 5/8 x 5 5/8 in.); miniature: 17.2 x 9.5 cm (6 3/4 x 3 3/4 in.). Brilliantly set off against a flat red ground, Krishnas blue body is the focus of the brown cow, lured to the god by the melody of his flute. Even the plantain and cypress trees seem to point in his direction. The figural style of the artists of this Rajput kingdom effortlessly shows the head turned in one direction, while the feet point the opposite way, contributing to Krishnas superhuman appearance. Below, a herdsman struggles to manage a spotted cow in front of a temple with a linga, a stylized phallic form that identifies the presence of the Hindu god Shiva. This fluting scene refers to Krishnas coming of age as a cowherd.