Untitled

Unknown

ca. 1630–40 · Opaque watercolor and silver on paper · Asian Art

A girl with curving hips, bending to whisper in his ear, Cherishes her kiss on her lover’s tingling cheek. Hari revels here as the crowd of charming girls Revels in seducing him to play. —Gita Govinda, canto 1, verse 41 This illustration faithfully adheres to the text, presenting Krishna (Hari) on the bank of a river surrounded by admiring cow maids (gopis). However, it is the color play of the natural elements, populated with birds and monkeys, that animates the scene. With its wavelike cloud pattern and distinct figure type, this work typifies the early Malwa stylistic vocabulary.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1630–40

Medium

Opaque watercolor and silver on paper

Culture

India (Madhya Pradesh, Malwa)

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky Fund, 2003