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An opaque watercolor painting depicting two figures sitting close together underneath the arch of a white, rectangular building. The figure on the right is blue-skinned and wears yellow pants while the figure on the left is pale with a red skirt and brown top. There is script writing above the image and the painting is framed with a red band that is decorated with blue and white flower motifs.

A rectangular opaque watercolor painting depicting two figures sitting close together underneath the arch of a white, rectangular building. The building is decorated with small, floral patterns and has five arched windows along the top. They are sitting near the bottom-center and their arms are bent towards each other. The male figure on the right is blue-skinned and wears yellow pants, a tall, gold headpiece, and long white beaded necklaces. The female figure on the left is pale with a red skirt, brown top, and jewelry in her hair. There is script writing above the image and the painting is framed with a red band that is decorated with blue and white flower motifs.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1963.73
People
Attributed to Jai Kisan of Malpura, Indian
Title
Dipak Raga, Folio from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series
Classification
Paintings
Work Type
painting
Date
c. 1756
Places
Creation Place: South Asia, India, Rajasthan, Malpura
Culture
Indian
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/199078

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper; Rajput Style
Dimensions
32 x 21.6 cm (12 5/8 x 8 1/2 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Eric Schroeder, Cambridge, MA (by 1963), gift; to Fogg Art Museum, 1963.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Eric Schroeder
Accession Year
1963
Object Number
1963.73
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
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Descriptions

Description
The Dipak Raga is intended to evoke the mood of intimacy between two lovers. In this folio, the lovers are Krishna, the eighth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu who is worshipped as a deity in his own right, and his consort, Radha. According to legend, one of the Mughal emperor Akbar’s (r. 1556-1605) musicians started a palace fire after being forced to perform this raga against his better judgment. Thus, depictions of this raga typically incorporate some sort of fire imagery. Here, two candelabras flank the scene. Rajput Style.

Publication History

  • Klaus Ebeling, Ragamala Painting, Ravi Kumar (Basel, Paris, Delhi, 1973), p. 212
  • The Feminine Mystique in Indian Art, auct. cat. (San Francisco, CA: Art Passages, 2015), p. 22

Exhibition History

  • The Music Room, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, 09/22/1984 - 11/11/1984
  • Where Traditions Meet: Painting in India from the 15th-17th Centuries, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, 06/05/2003 - 12/07/2003
  • 32Q: 2590 South and Southeast Asia, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 03/20/2015 - 07/21/2015

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu