Lady with a Yo-yo
ca. 1770
Mughal
Asian Art
This painting belongs to the extensive genre of paintings depicting lonely women who must amuse themselves while their lovers are away. It shows a woman playing with a string toy that is similar, but not identical, to a Western yo-yo. She stands on a low stool, which serves as a pedestal, inviting us to admire the beauty of the subject. The servant standing behind her is probably a woman (judging by the thin veil over her shoulders and her hennaed feet), although she is dressed in the turban and long coat (jama) of a man. She holds a peacock-feather fan that she can use to create breezes as well as to shoo away insects.
- Maker/Artist
- Mughal
- Classification
- Painting
- Formatted Medium
- Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
- Medium
- opaque, watercolor, gold, paper
- Locations
- Possible place made: Bundi, Rajasthan, India, Possible place made: Kota, Rajasthan, India
- Dimensions
- sheet: 9 1/4 x 6 3/16 in. (23.5 x 15.7 cm) image: 8 3/8 x 5 1/4 in. (21.3 x 13.3 cm)
- Departments
- Asian Art
- Accession Number
- 80.268.1
- Credit Line
- Gift of Alan Kirschbaum
- Rights Statement
- No known copyright restrictions
- Museum Location
- This item is not on view
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