Devotees at the Shrine of Shri Nathji

1920s

Devotees at the Shrine of Shri Nathji, 1920s. Khubiram Gopilal (Indian, 1891–1970). Gum tempera, gold, and photographic cutouts on paper; image: 46.5 x 59 cm (18 5/16 x 23 1/4 in.); paper: 50.5 x 63 cm (19 7/8 x 24 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the Karl B. Goldfield Trust 2018.213 Manorath paintings were bought by pilgrims visiting the temple at Nathdwara as mementos of their worship of its icon—the young Krishna. This scene is painted except for the couples’ heads, which are photographs that have been pasted on. This practice, which began in the 1920s, offered a cost-effective way to provide pilgrims with personalized souvenirs in a short time and at lower cost. The couple seen here are solidly middle class: they both wear wristwatches.