Harvard Art Museums > 1932.32: Kanada Ragini (painting, recto), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series Manuscripts Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Kanada Ragini (painting, recto), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series , 1932.32,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, Jan 22, 2025, https://hvrd.art/o/216545. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 1932.32 Title Kanada Ragini (painting, recto), from a Ragamala (Garland of Melodies) Series Other Titles Series/Book Title: Ragamala Classification Manuscripts Work Type manuscript folio Date c. 1680 Places Creation Place: South Asia, India, Rajasthan, Mewar Culture Indian Persistent Link https://hvrd.art/o/216545 Physical Descriptions Medium Opaque watercolor and gold on paper Dimensions sight: 37 x 21 cm (14 9/16 x 8 1/4 in.) Acquisition and Rights Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Dr. Denman W. Ross Accession Year 1932 Object Number 1932.32 Division Asian and Mediterranean Art Contact am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu Permissions The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. Descriptions Description Kanada Ragini is sung in the middle of the night, and commonly depicted as a princely warrior who shows his valor vanquishing an elephant. Often, two royal bards are depicted with their arms raised as a salute to this princely warrior. Here, the princely warrior is depicted as Krishna, who is seen in the top register, pulling his uncle, Kamsa by the hair, after having vanquished the elephant who lies in the lower register. Two royal bards are seen saluting Krishna with their arms raised. The artist has blended the Ragamala narrative with an important episode from the life of Krishna: his final encounter with his evil uncle, Kamsa. This painting is a pictorial metaphor for a raga, a musical phrase that is used as the basis for improvisation, possibly belonging to a Ragamala or “Garland of melodies” which was produced at the Mewar court in the late seventeenth century. Other paintings from the same series are 1931.16, 1931.17, 1931.18, and 1931.19. Rajput, Rajasthani, Mewar School. Exhibition History The Music Room, Harvard University Art Museums, Cambridge, 09/22/1984 - 11/11/1984 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
