Bal Gopal (Krishna) Pendant with Butter Pot

Each pendant is cast in the round as the infant Krishna seated with his butter pot, then hand-finished so the high points come up bright and the recesses stay dark. The crown, the beaded collar and the folded legs are modelled on every side rather than pressed flat, and the reverse is left hollow so the piece hangs light on a chain.

The oxidised recesses hold the shadow that gives the face and the drapery their depth, while the polished limbs and the curve of the pot carry light across the front. The detail comes from the modelling itself rather than from applied ornament.

Three castings share the subject and the finish, each taken at a different moment: seated beside the open pot, seated with the churning stick, and seated holding the pot in one arm. The bail sits above the crown and passes over most everyday chains. Sold on its own, without a chain.