Untitled

Unknown

ca. 1775–80 · Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; dark blue border with red inner rules · Asian Art

This luminous painting illustrates an episode from the literary masterpiece the Gita Govinda composed by the poet Jayadeva in the twelfth century. The text and paintings together celebrate the spiritual and erotic love of Krishna and Radha. Here, the Divine Couple embrace, surrounded by gopis, or milkmaids, who express their longing for the Lord. The idyllic pastoral setting and the sweetness of the figure style are hallmarks of the influential style of the painter Nainsukh and his family. It has been suggested that this series may have been created for Maharaja Sansar Chand of Kangra’s first wedding in 1781, when he would have been sixteen years old.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1775–80

Medium

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper; dark blue border with red inner rules

Culture

India

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Steven Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 2017