Krishna and Radha thumbnail 1
Krishna and Radha thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Krishna and Radha

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

Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, Radha tearfully awaits the return of Krishna as he arrives at dawn. Krishna wears an orange-red dhoti, gold scarf and gold clogs, with a lotus flower in his right hand; red Vaishnava markings on his arms and face. Radha is sitting in a square-shaped pavilion with black and grey pillars and a chocolate brown plinth with projecting shape. A pale yellow portico with crimson rooftop, grey turrets; pale blue inner wall with three alcoves containing apples and vessels. Brilliant yellow background.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleKrishna and Radha (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Painted in opaque watercolour on paper
Brief description
Painting, Krishna visiting tearful Radha, Rasamanjari illustration, in opaque watercolour on paper, Basohli, ca. 1660-1670
Physical description
Painting, in opaque watercolour on paper, Radha tearfully awaits the return of Krishna as he arrives at dawn. Krishna wears an orange-red dhoti, gold scarf and gold clogs, with a lotus flower in his right hand; red Vaishnava markings on his arms and face. Radha is sitting in a square-shaped pavilion with black and grey pillars and a chocolate brown plinth with projecting shape. A pale yellow portico with crimson rooftop, grey turrets; pale blue inner wall with three alcoves containing apples and vessels. Brilliant yellow background.
Dimensions
  • With border height: 231mm
  • Width: 268mm
  • Height: 179mm
  • With border width: 329mm
Red border with thin silver margin, white rules and shaded surround, cluster of turrets from the painting intruding into the upper border.
Content description
Radha tearfully awaits the return of Krishna as he arrives at dawn. Krishna wears an orange-red dhoti, gold scarf and gold clogs, with a lotus flower in his right hand; red Vaishnava markings on his arms and face. Radha is sitting in a square-shaped pavilion with black and grey pillars and a chocolate brown plinth with projecting shape. A pale yellow portico with crimson rooftop, grey turrets; pale blue inner wall with three alcoves containing apples and vessels. Brilliant yellow background.
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • (written in Takri at top)
    Translation
    'one who grieves at the loss of her lover'
    Transliteration
    'anashyana' [anushyana?]
  • (written in Takri on left border)
    Translation
    '28'
  • verse from the Rasamanjari (Sanskrit; reverse)
    Translation
    'Radha's eyes were filled with tears when she saw Krishna coming wearing mango blossoms in his ears and his cheeks yellow with pollen' (trans. Randhawa and Bhambri (1967))
Object history
From the collection of Mr. Michael Rothenstein; IS.46 to 73-1953 were purchased for £300.
Subjects depicted
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 pp.36-37, cat. no. 4 viii
Collection
Accession number
IS.47-1953

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Record createdJuly 14, 2000
Record URL
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