17th-18th century
The drawing depicts Radha, the consort of the Hindu god Krishna, on the terrace of her palatial abode. Her chin rests on her hand as she listens to her female companion (sakhi), who sits across from her. Beyond the palace walls are trees and birds. Dots of color throughout the drawing act as guides for the colorist to fill in that area with that specific color. The drawing is for a Rasikapriya (Handbook for Poetry Connoisseurs), a sixteen-century poetic treatise on love for aspiring poets and connoisseurs by Keshavdas (b. c. 1555). Through sixteen chapters, the work celebrates aspects of love using the Hindu deity Krishna as the archetypal hero (nayak), and his consort, Radha, as the heroine (nayika). Rajput Style, Kota School
24.9 x 16 cm (9 13/16 x 6 5/16 in.)
Black ink over graphite on cream laid paper
20th centuryAmericanColored marker on paper
20th centuryGermanBlack marker, black pen, and opaque watercolor on paper
Charcoal on beige wove paper
20th centuryInk and opaque watercolor on paper
18th centuryIndianBlack crayon and gray wash on off-white wove paper; verso: black crayon
20th centuryAmericanGraphite on off-white wove tracing paper
20th centuryAmericanInk on paper
20th centuryGermanBlack chalk on cream modern laid paper
19th centuryBritishGraphite on white wove paper
19th centuryGermanCharcoal on brown wove paper
20th centuryGermanBlack and metallic marker on paper