Painting

This is one of a series of paintings illustrating the Rasamanjari or ‘blossom-cluster of delight’ by the poet Bhanudatta, which describes and classifies the behaviour of lovers. In this series the hero and heroine are shown in idealised form as the Hindu god Krishna and Radha, the love of his youth. Here Krishna arrives while Radha is still dressing. A verse from the poem on the back of this painting explains that, wishing to fly to see his face, her heart grows wings like lotus leaves. This series of paintings is one of the earliest painted in a distinctly Pahari manner - a style of painting particular to the Punjab Hills of northern India. Applied iridescent beetle wing fragments have been used to suggest jewellery.