Creative Commons License
Radha and Krishna, Illustration to Poems by Shribhatta
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)
The 16th-century poet Shribhatta composed verses about Krishna and Radha that, when sung, would evoke a variety of amorous moods. The two verses are in Vrajabhasha, a Hindi dialect. The unknown Jaipur artist has not followed the poems literally, but he has expressed the different moods of the poems using the same composition, with subtle variations.
On the left, the poem reads: Krishna, eager to enjoy the beauty of his beloved's face, wants to charm her with endless talk of love. She coyly resists his verbal advances and asks him to stop, but Krishna sees through her and, with a smile, touches her face.
And on the right: Like a devout spouse, the beautiful Radha offers a betel quid to Krishna. Holding his long garland, she speaks melodiously, and both become radiantly happy.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
William H. Wolff, New York [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore, October 30, 1979, by purchase.
Exhibitions
| 2006-2007 | Goddess Divine Energy. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. |
| 2001-2003 | Desire and Devotion: Art from India, Nepal, and Tibet in the John and Berthe Ford Collection. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara; Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque; Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong. |
Geographies
India, Rajasthan, Jaipur (Place of Origin)
Measurements
7 7/8 x 11 3/8 in. (20 x 28.9 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John and Berthe Ford, 2013
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.925