Untitled

Bhavani Das

ca. 1740–45 · Opaque watercolor with gold on paper · Asian Art

A unique style of portrait painting evolved at the small kingdom of Kishangarh in the early eighteenth century that celebrated Lord Krishna and his lover Radha as the embodiment of the supreme devotee (bhakta). Under the patronage of Raj Singh (r. 1706–48) and his son Savant Singh (r. 1748–64), mannered and stylized conventions for the human figure were developed that became a signature feature of Kishangarh painting. This portrait of a singer, likely modeled on a youthful courtier, is foremost a representation of Indian idealized beauty. She belongs to a category of heroine known as a nayika, celebrated primarily in the poetic tradition but also given expression in painting. Most likely she is a courtier role-playing either as a nayika or, perhaps, as Radha in a love-match play with Krishna.

Artist

Bhavani Das

Date

ca. 1740–45

Medium

Opaque watercolor with gold on paper

Culture

India, Kishangarh, Rajasthan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Howard Hodgkin Collection, Purchase, Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, by exchange, 2022