Basreliëf met een vertelling van Krishna aan de noordzijde van Candi Panataran Possibly 1867

This photograph by Isidore Kinsbergen captures a bas-relief on the north side of Candi Panataran, narrating a tale of Krishna. The relief depicts Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, central to Hindu mythology, surrounded by dynamic scenes of conflict and divine intervention. Notice the recurring motif of intertwined figures amidst flames. This visual echoes ancient depictions of chaos and cosmic battles, recalling similar motifs found in early Mesopotamian art, where gods and demons clash in a symbolic struggle. The flame motif, common across cultures, represents destruction, purification, and transformation. Here, it is also a powerful symbol for the psychological tension between order and disorder, a recurring theme in human consciousness. The image stirs a primordial recognition— a collective memory of humanity’s constant negotiation with chaos and its yearning for transcendental resolution. It’s a potent reminder of how visual symbols persist, evolving yet retaining their emotional resonance across time and space.