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.)
Colored marker and black pen on paper
Graphite on cream antique laid paper; verso: black chalk
18th centuryBritishBlack ink on off-white wove paper
20th centuryAmericanBlack crayon on paper
20th centuryGermanBrown ink on cream antique laid paper, laid down
18th centuryItalianBlack marker on paper
20th centuryGermanBlack marker on paper
20th centuryGermanBrown ink over graphite on cream wove paper
19th centuryGermanBlack ink on cream wove paper
20th centuryGermanGraphite on paper
20th centuryGermanBlue and black marker on paper
Brown ink, brown and gray washes on cream antique laid paper
18th-19th centuryItalian