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Radha

Painting
ca. 1660 - ca. 1670 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Basohli (made)

Painted in opaque watercolour on paper, the nayika (heroine) of the Rasamanjari is Radha, in a dark green bodice and white and mauve skirt, raising her hands in protest at the words of her companion (sakhi) who is sitting opposite her. Radha is seated on a bright yellow carpet with red border and yellow floral decoration and leans against a deep red bolster. Grey pillars surmounted by a pale crimson portico and roof-top in dark-green with decorative patterning. At the base a pale blue plinth with typical 'monster-head' shaped projections. Background chocolate-brown; foreground dark green.


Object details

Categories
Paintings
Hinduism
Religion
Bonita Trust Indian Paintings Cataloguing Project
Object type
Painting
TitleRadha (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour on paper
Opaque Watercolour
Paper
Paint
Painted
Brief description
Painting, Radha and companion in pavilion, Rasamanjari illustration, opaque watercolour on paper, Basohli, ca. 1660-1670
Physical description
Painted in opaque watercolour on paper, the nayika (heroine) of the Rasamanjari is Radha, in a dark green bodice and white and mauve skirt, raising her hands in protest at the words of her companion (sakhi) who is sitting opposite her. Radha is seated on a bright yellow carpet with red border and yellow floral decoration and leans against a deep red bolster. Grey pillars surmounted by a pale crimson portico and roof-top in dark-green with decorative patterning. At the base a pale blue plinth with typical 'monster-head' shaped projections. Background chocolate-brown; foreground dark green.
Dimensions
  • With border height: 240mm
  • Width: 275mm
  • Height: 190mm
  • With border width: 330mm
Red border with silver margins, white rules and shaded surround, a turret projecting into the upper border.
Content description
The nayika (heroine) of the Rasamanjari is Radha, in a dark green bodice and white and mauve skirt, raising her hands in protest at the words of her companion (sakhi) who is sitting opposite her.
Style
Basohli
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'lakhyita' (written in Takri at top of object)
    Translation
    'one who has been found out or whose secret has been exposed'
  • (written in Takri on left border)
    Translation
    '24'
  • [verse from the Rasamanjari] (written in Sanskrit on reverse of object; translation by Randhawa and Bhambri (1967))
    Translation
    'A sakhi who knows the nayika's secret speaks to her in jest: "What was to happen has happened; what is to happen will happen; and what is happening is also happening. Any attempt on your part at concealment is therefore useless" '
Object history
From the collection of Mr. Michael Rothenstein; IS.46 to 73-1953 were purchased for £300.
Subjects depicted
Woman
Radha
Bibliographic reference
Indian paintings from the Punjab Hills : a survey and history of Pahari miniature painting / by W. G. Archer ; foreword by Sherman E. Lee. London :Delhi: Sotheby Parke Bernet ;Oxford University Press, 1973 Number: 0856670022 p. 36, cat. no. 4 vii
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.50-1953

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Record createdJuly 14, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O41607/radha-painting-unknown/
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