Krishna, Yashoda and Gopis

Chitrashala Press oleograph of “Krishna, Yashoda and the Gopis” from the early 1900s,
printed in England. This oleograph depicts a scene from Hindu mythology where the Gopis are
complaining to Krishna's foster mother, Yashoda, about Krishna’s mischievous acts, such as
stealing butter. Yashoda is seated on a platorm while a young Krishna stands nearby.

Chitrashala Press was established in 1878 in Poona (now Pune) by the Marathi writer
Vishnushastri Chiplunkar. It was a commercial printing press noted for the publicatioon of art
prints featuring religious and historical themes. Some of the printed images depict influential
Maratha political figures, as well as Hindu religious deities such as Rama and Shiva. A popular
motif deployed by the press in its images was that of a caged parrot, which scholars suggest
served as a subtle commentary on the political turmoil of the era. Some scholars have said it
was a significant institution for both the arts and the Indian freedom struggle, using its presses
to spread anti-colonial and nationalist ideas through art and educational materials. Initially,
they printed the materials in England before printing presses were imported to India.