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.)
Graphite and gesso on paper
20th centuryAmericanWatercolor, black ink, graphite, and black chalk on off-white antique laid paper
19th centuryBritishGraphite, fixed, on cream laid paper
19th centuryBritishColored crayons on paper
20th centuryGerman?Brown ink on tracing paper, darkened and adhered to white card and mounted to rag paper
19th centuryFrenchGraphite on paper
20th centuryGerman?Brown ink on cream antique laid paper
16th centuryItalianBlack and green marker and black pen on paper
20th centuryGermanBlack chalk on off-white wove paper
20th centuryAmericanMixed media on paper
20th centurySwissGouache and graphite on off-white wove paper
20th centuryGermanGraphite on paper
20th centuryGerman