album;
painting
- Museum number
- 1999,1202,0.5.4
- Title
- Object: The month of Asoj
- Description
-
One of a series of eight paintings bound in an album. The series are from a 'Baramasa' set or 'Songs of the seasons' providing visual imagery for Baramasa poetry. The main theme is that of nayakas' and nayikas' (lovers) love in union and in separation and their relationship with the months of the year.
The painting is divided into three sections in order to illustrate the text fully. To the left of the illustration Radha and Krishna are shown on an open terrace in an architectural setting. Krishna appears to be leaving while Radha offers him a betelnut in an attempt to make him stay. A lady attendant with a flywhisk stands next to them. Krishna is garbed in gold jama with a flower pattern, bright orange pyjamas and crowned with the quintessential lotus blossoms sprouting from a gold crown over an orange turban.
The second section, the background of the painting depicts a night scene with Krishna dancing the Raslila and a King touring his kingdom, providing direct visual imagery to Keshavdas' text. Two Brahmins perform Durgā pūjā (prayers) in front of a golden palace.
The third section depicts a thin lined horizon with rising sun, a forested landscape, lotus pool in the foreground with pandits reciting prayers for dead ancestors.
- Production date
- 1675-1700 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 30.60 centimetres (page)
-
Height: 26 centimetres (painting including black and white margins)
-
Width: 17.30 centimetres
-
Width: 22 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- This series seems to be drawn, composed and coloured by one artist and is so similar to a Bundi Baramasa painting in Pal, P. 'Dancing to the Flute', p.88, as to suggest them belonging to the same series. The similarity in foliage depiction, architectural details such as the predominant use of white and green, patterning on walls and rooftops, Krishna's face presenting a distinctive profile with large Bundi eye and prominent nose in all paintings in this series point to the hand of one master artist. Krishna's crown on top of an orange turban is present in all of the paintings including the one in Pal, '97, which further corroborates these belonging to the same series.
This early Bundi series has a vibrant spirit that is imparted by the interplay of brilliant colours, intense emotional cross currents between the lovers that convey the bhakti or devotion of the times, and a lyricism that makes the paintings come alive. The emphasis on diagonal lines impart movement; the lush vegetation and sensuous figures all contribute to the dynamic vibrancy of these works. The figures are modelled and shaded after Mughal painting to impart volume.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
2007 Aug-Nov, London, The British Museum, Faith, Narrative and Desire.
Covered due to pandemic 04/2020 - 10/2021
2019 Dec - 2022 Jun, London, BM, G33, rotation
- Associated titles
Associated Title: Baramasa (Songs of the Seasons)
- Acquisition date
- 1999
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1999,1202,0.5.4
