Krishna Gazes Longingly at Radha, Page from the "Lumbagraon Gita Govinda" Series
ca. 1820-1825
Indian
Asian Art
These three paintings, illustrating two of Hinduism’s great romantic-devotional poems, show episodes during which Radha becomes jealous of Krishna’s other lovers and refuses to see him; all involve a female confidante, known as a sakhi, who works diligently to reunite the lovers. In the page from the Sat Sai, the sakhi berates Radha for torturing herself over Krishna’s infidelities. In the two pages from Gita Govinda manuscripts, the sakhi delivers messages between the god and Radha. In the night scene, Krishna, ever impish, eavesdrops on the women’s conversation.
- Maker/Artist
- Indian
- Classification
- Painting
- Formatted Medium
- Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
- Medium
- opaque, watercolor, gold, paper
- Locations
- Place made: Kangra, Punjab Hills, India
- Dimensions
- sheet: 11 1/8 x 14 3/8 in. (28.3 x 36.5 cm) image: 9 1/2 x 12 5/8 in. (24.1 x 32.1 cm)
- Inscribed
- Inscriptions on reverse refer to another folio, but are here translated: She, who has cast her wishful eyes at Govinda (the lord of cowherds) rejoicing and melodiously ringing her anklets, entered the grove. Afterwards, she, who has denounced her lineage, and incurred sin by the act of digression from the path of her lineage, became all the more beautiful with the manifested marks (of nails and teeth) like the moon risen on the horizon of Vrindavana with streams of his rays and resembling the sandal paste marks on the face of the lady of the horizon.
- Departments
- Asian Art
- Accession Number
- 72.43
- Credit Line
- Designated Purchase Fund
- Exhibitions
- Vishnu: Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior
- Rights Statement
- No known copyright restrictions
- Museum Location
- This item is not on view
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