Antique Bala Krishna copper statue. India. From 17th-19th century.

Antique Bala Krishna copper statue. India. From 17th-19th century. Bala Krishna household altar / pilgrim statue, depicting the Hindu god Krishna as a crawling infant. Bala Krishna is also known as Bal Gopal or Laddu Gopal. It shows the playful baby Krishna crawling away, often while holding a ball of butter (navaneetha) or an Indian sweet (laddu) in his right hand. Provenance: This statue belongs to a collection acquired by a Danish nurse who was part of the UN's vaccination program in Asia and Africa from around 1947-60. The damage to the face of this type of antique bronze figure usually comes from ritual rubbing. In Hindu tradition, this type of wear is called a 'pujapatina'. During daily prayers and rituals (puja), the face being the most prominent and sacred point, years of repeated touching and drying wear away the sharp details, leaving the metal soft, smooth and rounded, which is now considered an important sign of authenticity among collectors. The material is a copper metal alloy. Dimensions: ca. 4,5x3,5x4,5 cm. Condition: see images.