Untitled

Nainsukh

ca. 1745–50 · Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper · Asian Art

Krishna and Radha appear as the ruler Raja Balwant Singh’s devotional vision. Nainsukh has subtly created two contrasting worlds, one occupied by the deities and the other by their devotee, who stands at the threshold. Balwant Singh looks into Krishna’s eyes and in turn receives his Lord’s grace. The setting is a terrace of the raja’s court framed by a landscape; the orange canopy invites the viewer into the divine space of the gods, who sit on a gilded, cushioned throne. This work is tremendously powerful because Nainsukh omitted embellishment and instead focused on the essential details of the narrative scene.

Artist

Nainsukh

Date

ca. 1745–50

Medium

Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

Culture

India, Punjab Hills, kingdom of Jasrota

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1994