The Butter Thief: Balakrishna in Tanjore Painting by Sanjay Tandekar

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This is an exquisite Tanjore Painting by artist Sanjay Tandekar, showing the beloved child deity Lord Krishna (Balakrishna) engaged in a playful act, often referred to as the "Butter Thief" (Makhan Chor).

Tanjore (Thanjavur) Painting is a classical South Indian art form known for its elaborate composition, vibrant colors, iconic relief work, and extensive use of gold leaf and semi-precious stones, primarily depicting Hindu deities.

At the center of the composition is Balakrishna. He symbolizes innocence, divine mischief, and profound love. Visually, the chubby child Krishna is depicted with his characteristic dark blue complexion, reaching into or leaning on a large, intricately decorated pot of butter. The pot, along with his numerous jewels and crown, is rendered in high relief using gold leaf and studded with semi-precious red and green stones, giving the artwork a luminous, three-dimensional quality. He wears a large, ornate crown topped with peacock feathers. The background is dramatically dark—a deep black—which highlights the luminosity of the gold and the bright red, floral-patterned curtains and architectural columns that frame the central figure.

The color palette is rich and concentrated, dominated by the deep black background and the large volume of shimmering gold relief used for the deity's ornamentation and the architectural features. Intense red is used for the draping curtains, contrasting with the bright blue of Krishna's skin and the various colored stones used as decoration. The pattern is one of opulent detail and centralized focus, emphasizing the wealth and divinity of the Lord, captured in a moment of playful human vulnerability.

This opulent, devotional artwork is a great addition to any collection, celebrating the playful and beloved childhood of Lord Krishna through the spectacular artistry of traditional Tanjore painting."

Each of our artworks are hand painted by master artists across India. We provide a digital authentication certificate with this artwork signed by the artist which will be sent over email after 3-4 days of delivery of the artwork.

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Due to high demand for artworks from this artist, the delivery timelines are currently 0-2 weeks.

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Once your order is placed, our team stays in constant communication with the artist to track the progress and ensure the quality of your order. You will receive regular updates from us throughout this process.

All MeMeraki artworks are hand-painted. In rare occasions, artist may face delays due to weather, health, prior commitments or force majeure. Our team will reach out to you with revised timelines in case of such delays. We appreciate your understanding and patience in such situations.

All artworks on the website are hand painted from scratch by our master artists. This makes every artwork absolutely unique and the actual colour and overall artwork may vary slightly from the artwork image posted here.